IP  A  M  °UR-  LITTLE 
«J  C/Y1Y  AUSTRALIAN  "COUSIN 


MARY-F-NIXON-ROULET 


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UNIVERSITY  OF 

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Elizabeth  Preston  Ward 

in  memory  of 
Jean  Versfelt  Preston 


Our   Little  Australian   Cousin 


THE 

Little  Cousin  Series 

(trade  mark) 

Each  volume  illustrated  with  six  or  more  full-page  plates  in 

tint.     Cloth,  i2mo,  with  decorative  cover, 

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LIST   OF   TITLES 

By  Mary  Hazelton  Wade 

(unless  otherwise  indicated) 


Our  Little  African  Cousin 
Our  Little  Alaskan  Cousin 

By  Mary  F.  Nixon-Roulet 

Our  Little  Arabian  Cousin 

By  Blanche  McManus 

Our  Little  Armenian  Cousin 
Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

By  Mary  F.  Nixon-Roulet 
Our  Little  Brazilian  Cousin 

By  Mary  F.  Nixon-Roulet 

Our  Little  Brown  Cousin 
Our  Little  Canadian  Cousin 

By  Elizabeth  R.  MacDonald 

Our  Little  Chinese  Cousin 

By  Isaac  Taylor  Headland 
Our  Little  Cuban  Cousin 
Our  Little  Dutch  Cousin 

By  Blanche  McManus 
Our  Little  Egyptian  Cousin 

By  Blanche  McManus 
Our  Little  English  Cousin 

By  Blanche  McManus 
Our  Little  Eskimo  Cousin 
Our  Little  French  Cousin 

By  Blanche  McManus 
Our  Little  German  Cousin 
Our  Little  Greek  Cousin 

By  Mary  F.  Nixon-Roulet 


Our  Little  Hawaiian  Cousin 
Our  Little  Hindu  Cousin 

By  Blanche  McManus 
Our  Little  Hungarian  Cousin 
By  Mary  F.  Nixon-Roulet 
Our  Little  Indian  Cousin 
Our  Little  Irish  Cousin 
Our  Little  Italian  Cousin 
Our  Little  Japanese  Cousin 
Our  Little  Jewish  Cousin 
Our  Little  Korean  Cousin 

By  H.  Lee  M.  Pike 
Our  Little  Mexican  Cousin 

By  Edward  C.  Butler 
Our  Little  Norwegian  Cousin 
Our  Little  Panama  Cousin 

By  H.  Lee  M.  Pike 
Our  Little  Persian  Cousin 

By  E.  C.  Shedd 
Our  Little  Philippine  Cousin 
Our  Little  Porto  Rican  Cousin 
Our  Little  Russian  Cousin 
Our  Little  Scotch  Cousin 

By  Blanche  McManus 
Our  Little  Siamese  Cousin 
Our  Little  Spanish  Cousin 

By  Mary  F.  Nixon-Roulet 
Our  Little  Swedish  Cousin 

By  Claire  M.  Coburn 
Our  Little  Swiss  Cousin 
Our  Little  Turkish  Cousin 


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JEAN. 


|  JEAN  | 

2    Our  Little  Australian  Cousin   T 

* * 

* * 

*  By  ^ 

*  Mary  F.   Nixon -Roulet  * 

T  Author  of  "  Go</,   *&*   %,   Afy   Brother^   "  Owr  Jf 

«k           Z./ft/<?  Spanish  Cousin"  "Our  Little  Alaskan  '  *• 

£T                 Cousin"  "  Owr  Z/tf/*  Grecian  Cousin"  ^£ 

Tf                   "  Owr  Z./tt/<?  Brazilian  Cousin,"  etc.  Jj 

*, ^ 

^4  Illustrated  by  ^ 

*  Diantha  W.  Home  *£ 
* * 

* ^^ * 

^  Boston  #• 

^  L.  C.  Page  £sf  Company  ^ 

4*  Publishers  4 

4*  4^ 


Copyright,  igo8 
By  L.  C.  Page  &  Company 

(incorporated) 

Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall,  London 

All  rights  reserved 


First  Impression,  September,  1908 
Second  Impression,  October,  1909 


TO 

fottfcp  PtSDowittffl) 
A  Little  Texas  Friend 


P  reface 
— -^ — 

Australia,  though  a  continent,  is  a  part  of  the 
Empire  of  Great  Britain.  A  few  years  ago  it 
was  a  wild  country,  where  no  white  people 
lived,  filled  with  Blacks,  who  were  man-eating 
savages.  These  are  fast  dying  out,  but  in  this 
story  you  will  learn  something  about  them,  and 
of  the  lives  of  your  Australian  Cousins. 


Contents 


I.  "Land!" 

II.  Sailing  to  Sydney 

III.  A  Drive 

IV.  On  the  Way  to  the  "  Run 
V.  Life  at  Djerinallum 

VI.      "Lost!" 

VII.  Jean  Finds  a  Friend 

VIII.  In  the  Bush  . 

IX.  Housekeeping  in  a  Cave 

X.  Dandy  Saves  the  Day  . 


PACK 
I 

8 

20 
32 

47 
60 
76 
90 
101 
117 


List  of  Illustrations 


Jean    .......         Frontispiece 

" '  I    thought    Pacific    meant    peaceful/    said 

Fergus"       .......     ii 

"'That  is  the  lyre   bird,  isn't  he  a  handsome 

fellow?'"  .......     58 

"  '  That  was  a  platypus,   or  water   mole,'  said 

Mr.  McDonald"  .....     66 

"The  leaves  parted  and  a  black  face  peered 

through  the  bushes "  ....     99 

"  The    black   boy   on   a  pony  led  by  a  white 

child" 128 


Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 


CHAPTER   I 


Fergus  and  Jean  were  very  tired  of  the  long 
voyage.  They  stood  at  the  taffrail  looking  over 
the  dancing  waves,  longing  for  the  sight  of  land. 

"  It  seems  as  if  we  would  never  get  there, 
Father,"  said  Fergus.  "  How  long  it  is  since 
we  left  home !  " 

"  And  how  far  away  Scotland  seems,"  sighed 
his  mother,  as  she  took  little  Jean  on  her  lap  and 
stroked  her  fair  hair. 

"  But  Australia  is  to  be  our  home  now,"  said 
Mr.  Hume  cheerfully.  "  See,  there  is  the  very 
first  glimpse  of  it,"  and  he  pointed  across  the 


2      Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

water  to  a  dim  line,  as  the  look-out  called 
"Land!" 

"  We  are  passing  Port  Phillip's  Head,"  he 
said  presently.  "  See  the  lighthouse !  Soon  we 
shall  land  and  you  will  see  a  beautiful  city." 

"  Beautiful !  "  Fergus  said  in  surprise. 
"  Why,  I  thought  Melbourne  was  a  wild  sort  of 
a  place.  You  have  told  us  about  the  time  you 
were  here  long  ago,  before  you  married  my 
mother,  and  you  had  floods  in  the  streets  and 
had  to  climb  up  on  top  of  some  one's  porch  for 
fear  of  being  drowned." 

"  That  was  fifteen  years  ago,  my  son,"  said 
Mr.  Hume  with  a  smile.  "  Melbourne  is  very 
different  now  from  what  it  was  then,  and  then 
it  was  not  at  all  like  it  was  when  its  first  settlers 
saw  it. 

"  It  was  in  1836  that  Robert  Russell  came 
here  to  survey  the  shore  near  Port  Phillip  and 
find  out  whether  boats  could  go  up  the  River 
Yana.     He  felt  this  to  be  just  the  place  for  a 


"  Land ! "  3 

city,  planned  Melbourne  and  laid  out  the  streets. 
It  seems  strange  to  think  that  then  the  blacks 
owned  all  this  land  and  the  Wawoorong,  Boo- 
noorong,  and  Wautourong  tribes  roamed  these 
shores,  and  that  when  Russell  laid  out  his  city 
there  were  native  huts  standing.  The  place  was 
called  Bear  Grass,  and  in  1837  there  were  thir- 
teen buildings,  eight  of  which  were  turf  huts. 
Now  Melbourne  is  seven  miles  square  and  the 
principal  street  is  a  mile  long.  You  will  soon 
see  how  handsome  the  buildings  are,  for  we  are 
now  making  ready  to  land  after  our  long  jour- 
ney." 

Fergus  and  Jean  Hume  had  come  from  Scot- 
land to  live  in  Australia.  Their  father  had  been 
a  farmer,  but  he  had  lost  all  his  little  fortune 
through  the  rascality  of  a  friend,  and  had  deter- 
mined to  try  again  in  the  colony. 

Australia  is  a  colony  of  Great  Britain  just  as 
Canada  is,  and  though  it  is  at  the  other  side  of 
the  world,  still  it  is  British. 


4      Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

Mrs.  Hume  had  a  sister  in  Sydney  and  they 
were  to  visit  her  before  going  to  the  Gold  Coun- 
try, where  Mr.  Hume  intended  to  try  his  for- 
tune. 

Fergus  was  a  fine  boy  of  twelve  and  Jean  was 
eight,  and  both  were  much  excited  at  the  trip, 
while  Mrs.  Hume's  sadness  at  leaving  her  old 
home  was  mixed  with  joy  at  the  idea  of  seeing 
again  the  sister  from  whom  she  had  been  sepa- 
rated for  years. 

The  landing  on  the  Melbourne  quay  proved 
interesting  for  the  children,  and  they  were  very 
much  impressed  with  their  first  glimpse  of  the 
city. 

"  Why,  Father,"  exclaimed  Fergus,  as  they 
drove  in  a  cab  up  Flinders  Street,  "  Melbourne 
streets  seem  as  busy  as  those  of  Glasgow !  " 

"  Indeed  they  are,  my  son,"  said  his  father, 
smiling.  "  Perhaps  they  are  busier.  You  see 
Victoria  is  the  busiest  part  of  this  country,  al- 
though the  people  of  New  South  Wales  will  tell 


"  Land !  "  5 

you  that  their  district  is  far  superior  and  Sydney 
a  much  handsomer  city  than  Melbourne." 

"If  the  wares  one  sees  in  the  streets  are  any 
sign,  Victoria  must  have  a  great  variety  of  prod- 
ucts," said  Mrs.  Hume.  "  The  shops  have  all 
manner  of  things  in  the  windows,  and  besides 
there  are  great  drays  of  wood,  coal  and  timber." 

"  Victoria  is  called  the  Garden  of  Australia," 
said  Mr.  Hume.  "  You  will  see  considerable  of 
it  if  we  go  up  to  Sydney  by  rail  instead  of  by 
sea. 

"  Oh,  Father!  "  cried  Fergus,  who  loved  the 
water,  "  are  we  going  to  do  that?  " 

"  I  haven't  decided  yet  which  would  be  the 
better  plan,"  Mr.  Hume  answered.  "  I  had 
thought  of  going  by  steamer  and  stopping  at 
Hobart  in  Tasmania,  but  it  will  take  a  great  deal 
longer  and  you  will  miss  the  trip  through  Vic- 
toria, which  is  said  to  be  the  prettiest  part  of 
this  great  continent." 

"  I  think  the  sooner  we  reach  Aunt  Mildred 


6       Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

the  better  for  all  of  us,"  said  Mrs.  Hume. 
"  The  children  are  tired  with  the  long  voyage 
and  winter  will  soon  be  here." 

"  Winter!  "  exclaimed  Jean. 

"Winter,  why,  Mother!"  cried  Fergus. 
"This  is  June!" 

"  Yes,  I  know  that,"  said  his  mother.  "  But 
don't  you  know  that  in  the  Southern  Hemi- 
sphere, winter  and  summer  change  places?  In 
Victoria,  midwinter  comes  in  July." 

"Will  it  be  cold?"  asked  Jean. 

"  No,  dear,  winter  here  is  not  like  our  nip- 
ping Scotch  frost.  It  is  not  very  cold  here,  and 
it  rains  in  winter  instead  of  snowing." 

"  I  don't  think  that  is  nice  at  all,"  said  Fergus. 
"  We'll  have  no  sleighing." 

"  There  are  many  things  we  will  miss  here," 
said  his  mother  sadly,  but  his  father  said  cheer- 
fully, 

"  There  are  many  things  here  we  can't  have 
at  home,  also.    When  I  get  to  the  Gold  Fields 


"  Land  !  "  7 

you  shall  have  all  the  gold  you  want,  and  that 
is  something  you  never  had  in  Scotland.  Now, 
our  fine  drive  is  over  and  here  we  are  at  the 
hotel,  where  we  shall  have  some  luncheon. 
How  have  you  enjoyed  your  first  drive  in  an 
Australian  city?  " 

"  Very  much,"  cried  both  of  the  children. 

"  It  will  be  some  time  before  you  take  another 
one,  for  I  believe  after  all  that  we  shall  go  by 
boat  to  Sydney.  I  understand  that  the  sea  trip 
is  very  pleasant  and  it  is  less  expensive. " 

"  I  am  glad,"  said  Fergus. 

"  A  boat  sails  this  afternoon  and  there  is  noth- 
ing for  us  to  do  but  have  our  luggage  trans- 
ferred from  one  boat  to  the  other,"  said  Mr. 
Hume,  as  they  all  went  in  to  luncheon. 


CHAPTER   II 

SAILING   TO   SYDNEY 

The  travellers  set  sail  for  Sydney  in  a  calm 
and  beautiful  afternoon  when  earth  and  sea 
seemed  at  peace.  The  sea  sparkled  in  the  sun- 
light as  if  set  in  diamonds  and  the  vessel  fairly 
danced  over  the  waters  as  it  sailed  out  of  Bass 
Strait  into  the  dark  waters  of  the  blue  Pacific. 
The  afternoon  passed  quietly  and  toward  eve- 
ning all  gathered  on  deck  to  see  the  sunset,  for 
Australia  is  noted  as  the  land  of  wonderful  sun- 
sets, and  from  the  sea  these  can  be  viewed  in  all 
their  splendour. 

Gold,  crimson,  yellow,  pink,  from  brilliant  to 
soft,  from  light  to  dark,  the  clouds  changed  in 
countless  colour  schemes,  bewilderingly  beauti- 
ful.   The  whole  sky  was  a  dome  of  softest  rose, 


Sailing  to  Sydney  9 

then  a  flaming  crimson,  then  pearly-tinted  helio- 
trope ;  the  sea,  too,  shone  in  varying  shades  of 
beauty,  until  all  melted  and  blended  into  one 
exquisitely  soft  shade  of  deep-toned  purple,  and 
into  this  the  smiling  stars  stole  one  by  one,  the 
countless  stars  of  the  southern  night,  and  above 
all  shone  the  glory  of  the  Southern  Cross. 

"  Oh,  Father,"  whispered  Jean,  "  I  have 
never  seen  anything  so  beautiful!  Is  the  sunset 
always  like  this  in  Australia  ?  " 

"  This  was  a  particularly  fine  one,  daughter, 
but  whenever  the  sun  sets  it  is  a  thing  worth 
looking  at." 

"  How  quickly  it  has  grown  dark  after  all  that 
splendour,"  said  Mrs.  Hume,  looking  at  the  sky 
over  which  the  clouds  were  passing. 

"  I  don't  like  the  look  of  the  sky,"  said  Mr. 
Hume.     "  I'm  afraid  there  is  a  squall  coming." 

"  Worse  than  a  squall,  sir,"  said  a  sailor, 
hurrying  by.    "  It  looks  to  me  like  a  hurricane." 

The  air  had  grown  suddenly  warm  and  the 


10     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

sky  was  overhung  with  heavy  clouds,  while 
flashes  of  lightning  blazed  across  the  sky.  Sud- 
denly a  great  waterspout  seemed  to  rise  up  like 
an  inky-black  pillar  from  sea  to  sky.  The  ship 
tossed  about  and  pitched  so  badly  that  it  was 
impossible  to  keep  one's  feet  and  Mr.  Hume  led 
his  little  party  to  the  cabin. 

"Oh,  Father!  what  shall  we  do?"  cried 
Jean,  frightened. 

"  Go  to  sleep  is  the  best  thing  to  do  if  you 
can,"  he  said,  and  the  children  were  put  to  bed 
in  their  berths,  in  which  they  could  hardly  stay, 
so  violent  was  the  pitching  of  the  ship. 

The  wind  howled  and  roared  and,  as  the 
storm  kept  up  all  night,  there  was  little  sleep  in 
the  cabin.  When  the  morning  came  it  was  lit- 
tle better.  Sea  and  sky  were  dull  gray,  save 
where  the  foam-crested  waves  broke  in  sheets 
of  spray  against  the  sides  of  the  vessel,  sending 
the  foam  high  into  the  air. 

"  It  is  a  cross  sea,"  said  the  sailor  on  the  look- 


I    THOUGHT    PACIFIC    MEANT   PEACEFUL,'   SAID    FERGUS. 


Sailing  to  Sydney  n 

out  and  the  captain  shook  his  head.  "  It's  a 
bad  outlook,"  he  said.  "  I  don't  like  the  gray 
water." 

"  I  thought  Pacific  meant  peaceful,"  said 
Fergus,  who  stood  clinging  to  his  father  on 
deck,  looking  at  the  wonderful  scene.  "  It 
doesn't  seem  peaceful  to  me,"  as  a  great  wave 
broke  over  the  deck  and  drenched  him  to  the 
skin. 

"  Like  most  peaceful  things,  it  is  terrible 
when  it  is  roused,"  said  Mr.  Hume.  "  There 
is  a  strong  current  running  up  and  down  this 
eastern  shore  of  Australia  and  it  often  sets  ves- 
sels quite  out  of  their  course.  Sometimes  they 
are  washed  miles  out  of  their  way,  and  occa- 
sionally, in  the  darkness,  run  upon  one  of  the 
little  islands  which  dot  this  sea." 

"  Is  Tasmania  one  of  them?  "  asked  Fergus. 

"  We  have  long  since  passed  Tasmania,"  said 
his  father.  "  But  there  are  many  little  islands 
between  here  and  Sydney.     There!    What  is 


12     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

that?  "  he  exclaimed.  Suddenly  it  seemed  as  if 
land  sprang  at  them  through  the  fog  and  they 
were  almost  upon  a  rocky  shore.  So  near  to  it 
was  their  steamer  that  there  was  barely  time  to 
put  about  and  it  was  only  by  the  quickest  action 
that  they  escaped  the  rocks.  The  steamer 
lurched  and  rolled,  pitched  and  tossed  in  the 
gale,  but  she  passed  the  rocks  in  safety,  and  as 
afternoon  waned  and  night  drew  on,  the  storm 
grew  less,  until  by  midnight  the  sea  was  quiet. 
The  morning  of  the  third  day  broke  in  a  golden 
splendour,  the  air  was  fresh  and  cool,  the  sky 
and  the  sea  were  as  blue  as  a  sapphire,  the  chil- 
dren glad  to  be  out  of  the  stuffy  cabin  and  up 
on  deck. 

"If  the  weather  continues  like  this  we  shall 
not  be  long  in  reaching  Sydney,'5  said  Mr. 
Hume.  "  And  I  am  sure  we  shall  all  be  glad  to 
get  there." 

"What  kind  of  a  place  is  Sydney?"  asked 
Fergus. 


Sailing  to  Sydney  13 

"  It  is  a  fine  city,  my  boy,  and  very  different 
from  what  it  was  when  Botany  Bay  was  peopled 
with  felons." 

"  What  are  felons?  "  asked  Jean. 

"  Felons  are  people  who  have  done  wrong 
and  must  be  kept  in  prison  for  punishment  in 
the  hope  that  they  will  learn  to  do  right/'  an- 
swered Mr.  Hume.  "  Botany  Bay  was  named 
by  the  botanist  Joseph  Banks  who  was  with 
Cook  when  he  made  his  first  voyage  in  1770. 
It  is  an  inlet  near  Sydney  and  the  English  sent 
their  criminals  there  until  1840.  Such  men  as 
behaved  well  when  they  reached  the  colony  were 
allowed  to  leave  the  penal  settlement  upon 
tickets,  and  were  called  '  ticket  of  leave  men.' 
They  could  be  followed  up  and  brought  back 
if  they  misbehaved  in  any  way.  Many  of  them 
were  good  men  who  had  been  led  into  wrong- 
doing and  were  glad  to  have  a  chance  to  be  good 
again.  They  went  out  into  the  '  bush,'  cleared 
farms   or  sheep   stations,   and  many  of  them 


14     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

grew  rich.  Quite  a  number  of  the  good  citizens 
of  Australia  to-day,  could,  if  they  would,  trace 
their  descent  back  to  '  ticket  of  leave '  men." 

"  I  shouldn't  think  they  would  like  to  do 
that,"  said  Fergus.  "  I  wouldn't  like  any  one 
to  know  that  my  people  had  done  wrong." 

"  Everybody  does  wrong,"  said  Jean  sagely. 

"  Yes,  but  every  one  isn't  found  out,"  her 
brother  answered.     "  When  they  are,  it  hurts." 

"  But  if  it's  found  out  that  they're  sorry  and 
are  going  to  do  good  for  ever  and  ever,"  the 
little  girl  looked  puzzled,  "  then  does  it  mat- 
ter?" 

"  Dear  little  childish  point  of  view,"  said  her 
mother,  with  a  smile,  and  her  father  added, 

"  It  would  be  a  good  thing  if  older  people 
felt  so." 

Sydney  looked  beautiful  enough  as  their  ship 
steamed  into  the  bay  to  pay  them  for  their 
troublesome  voyage.  The  harbour  is  one  of 
the  handsomest  in  the  world.    The  city  is  pic- 


Sailing  to  Sydney  15 

turesquely  situated  upon  the  bold  and  rocky 
slopes  which  rise  from  the  water's  edge  and  is 
defended  from  any  possible  attack  by  bristling 
forts  and  batteries. 

"  This  narrow  entrance  to  the  harbour  is 
called  '  the  Heads,'  "  said  Mr.  Hume  to  the 
children,  who  were  dancing  about  asking  a  thou- 
sand questions,  of  which  their  father  answered 
the  most  important.  "  The  lighthouse  is  a  guide 
to  all  storm-driven  sailors,  and  also  a  good 
lookout,  should  any  enemies  of  England  hope  to 
steal  upon  Australia  unawares.  I  think  Sydney 
one  of  the  most  delightfully  situated  cities  I 
have  ever  visited.  It  is  surrounded  by  parks 
and  groves  where  grow  bananas,  orange  trees, 
palms  and  all  manner  of  tropical  plants.  Its 
climate  is  healthful  and  life  here  easy  and 
pleasant." 

"  The  buildings  seem  very  handsome, "  said 
Mrs.  Hume,  as  the  city  came  into  view,  gleam- 
ing white  and  beautiful  in  the  morning  sun. 


1 6     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

"  The  sandstone  upon  which  the  town  is  built 
gives  fine  building  material,"  said  her  husband, 
"  and  while,  in  the  older  part  of  the  city,  streets 
are  narrow  and  houses  old-fashioned,  the  newer 
portion  compares  favourably  with  almost  any 
of  the  modern  European  cities. 

"We  are  just  about  in  now;  the  sailors  are 
making  ready  to  cast  the  hawser." 

uOh,  Fergus!  There  is  Mildred!"  cried 
Mrs.  Hume  to  her  husband,  pointing  to  a  sweet- 
faced  little  woman  who  stood  beside  a  large, 
burly-looking  man  upon  the  wharf.  "  It  is 
worth  almost  the  long  journey  from  home  just 
to  see  her  again !  "  and  she  stretched  out  her 
hands  to  the  sister  whom  she  had  not  seen  for 
ten  years. 

Soon  they  were  landed  and  the  two  sisters 
greeted  each  other  joyfully. 

"  Elsie !  How  glad  I  am  to  welcome  you  to 
Australia,"  cried  Mrs.  McDonald,  while  her 
sister  said, 


Sailing  to  Sydney  17 

11  Mildred,  you  don't  look  a  day  older  than 
when  you  left  Scotland !  " 

"  Life  is  easy  out  here,"  said  Mr.  McDonald 
genially.  "  Come,  all  of  you.  The  carriage  is 
waiting.  We  are  glad  to  have  a  visit  from  you 
and  want  it  to  be  as  long  a  visit  as  possible.  We 
have  planned  all  manner  of  things  to  do  during 
your  stay." 

As  they  drove  through  the  handsome  streets, 
Mrs.  McDonald  said, 

"  It  is  nearly  time  we  went  into  the  country, 
and  after  you  are  well  rested  and  have  seen 
Sydney,  Angus  is  going  to  take  us  up  to  the 
station  so  you  can  see  just  what  life  is  on  an 
Australian  *  run.'  "  1 

"  I  am  sure  we  shall  enjoy  it,"  said  Mrs. 
Hume.  "  But  just  now  I  can  think  of  nothing 
to  do  but  getting  rested.  The  sea  motion  is 
still  in  my  head,  and  I  believe  that  if  I  could  go 
to  bed  and  think  that  Jean  could  sleep  without 
1  Run  is  the  name  given  to  a  ranch  in  Australia. 


1 8     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

danger  of  falling  out  of  bed,  I  could  sleep  for 
two  or  three  days  without  waking  up." 

"  We'll  take  care  of  the  wee  lassie  and  of 
this  big  boy,  too,"  said  Mr.  McDonald  kindly, 
laying  an  arm  about  Fergus'  shoulder.  "  Sandy 
is  up  at  the  run  and  you  will  have  fine  times  with 
him  there,  and  your  mother  shall  rest  as  long 
as  she  wants  to. 

11  But  you  are  not  seeing  the  sights  as  we  pass. 
We  think  Sydney  about  the  finest  thing  on  this 
side  of  the  world.  These  buildings  are  a  part 
of  the  University.  The  College  of  St.  Paul's 
there  belongs  to  the  Church  of  England,  and  St. 
John's  is  Roman  Catholic." 

"  It  is  all  very  handsome,"  said  Mrs.  Hume. 

"  How  Sydney  has  changed  since  I  was  here," 
said  Mr.  Hume.  "  It  is  not  like  the  same 
place." 

11  Its  growth  is  simply  wonderful,"  said  Mr. 
McDonald.  "  We  have  now  all  manner  of 
manufactories.    Wagons  are  made  here  and  sold 


Sailing  to  Sydney  19 

all  over  Australia  and  New  Zealand.  There 
are  fine  glass  and  pottery  works,  boot  and  shoe 
factories,  besides  stove  foundries  and  carriage 
works.  Tobacco  and  fine  liquors  are  manufac- 
tured here  and  Sydney  is  really  the  center  of  the 
British  colonies  in  the  South." 

"  Here  we  are  at  home,"  said  his  wife.  "  So 
your  interesting  lecture  must  cease.  I  am  sure 
Elsie  would  rather  see  a  good  cup  of  tea  and  a 
comfortable  bed  than  hear  your  discourse  on 
the  beauties  of  Sydney  when  she's  homesick  for 
dear  little  Glasgow." 

"  Tea  and  bed  will  do  much  to  do  away  with 
homesickness,  and  the  sight  of  you  will  do 
more,"  said  her  sister  as  they  alighted  from  the 
carriage  and  went  up  the  steps  of  a  handsome 
house  surrounded  by  fine  trees  and  a  garden 
radiant  with  flowers. 


CHAPTER   III 

A   DRIVE 

A  FEW  days'  rest  made  the  travellers  as  good 
as  new  and  Fergus  and  Jean  were  ready  for  any 
kind  of  an  adventure.  They  went  about  the  city 
interested  in  each  and  everything  they  saw,  for 
they  were  bright  little  children,  full  of  spirits  to 
the  brim. 

"  We  are  to  take  a  drive  this  afternoon, "  said 
Mrs.  McDonald  one  morning.  "  Your  Uncle 
Angus  is  going  to  show  you  Wuurna-wee- 
weetch,  which  means  *  home  of  the  swallow.' 
It  is  the  largest  squatter  station  anywhere  about 
here,  and  it  is  as  handsome  as  any  noble  estate 
at  home." 

"That  will  be  jolly,   Aunt   Mildred,"   said 

Fergus,  who  loved  driving. 

20 


A  Drive  21 

When  luncheon  was  over  they  all  seated  them- 
selves in  Mr.  McDonald's  comfortable  road- 
cart,  and  his  fine  span  of  horses  pranced  along 
the  Sydney  streets. 

"  We  are  passing  St.  Andrew's  Cathedral 
now,"  said  Mrs.  McDonald.  "  And  there  is 
St.  Mary's  Cathedral,  which  is  equally  fine. 
There  is  the  Governor's  Mansion,  the  Museum, 
the  Art  Gallery,  and  now  we  are  entering  Hyde 
Park.  Isn't  it  beautiful?  The  water  works  of 
Sydney  are  excellent  and  the  water  supply  never 
fails.  It  comes  sixty-three  miles  from  the  Ne- 
pean  River  and  is  stored  in  a  huge  reservoir. 
Even  in  the  hottest  weather  there  is  enough 
water  to  keep  our  parks  green  and  beautiful." 

"  You  are  very  enthusiastic  over  your  adopted 
country,"  said  her  sister,  teasingly. 

"  Indeed  I  am.  I  have  learned  to  love  Aus- 
tralia, the  rural  life  better  than  the  urban.  You 
wait  until  we  go  up  to  the  '  run  '  and  see  if  the 
charm  of  the   Bush  country  life   doesn't  hold 


22     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

you."  Mrs.  McDonald  smiled.  "  Now  we  are 
entering  the  grounds  of  Wuurna-wee-weetch. 
Tell  me,  is  the  Duke  of  Argyle's  place  finer?  " 

They  drove  over  the  estate,  which  was  sur- 
passingly beautiful. 

"  I  have  heard  so  much  of  the  Australian 
Bush  and  how  wild  and  bare  it  is,"  said  Fergus, 
"  that  I  had  no  idea  that  there  was  anything  here 
so  fine  as  this." 

"  What  magnificent  trees,"  said  his  mother. 

"  Those  are  the  eucalyptus,  the  gum  trees  for 
which  Australia  is  famous,"  said  Mr.  McDon- 
ald. "  The  eucalyptus  grows  to  an  enormous 
height,  many  of  the  trees  are  150  feet  high  and 
eleven  feet  around  the  trunk.  In  some  places 
they  grow  to  be  twenty  feet  in  diameter.  They 
are  not  good  shade  trees  because  the  leaves, 
which  are  shaped  like  little  lances,  grow  straight 
up  and  down,  that  is,  with  one  edge  toward  the 
sun.  But  in  spite  of  that,  the  tree  is  one  of  the 
most  useful  in  the  world.    There  are  nearly  150 


A  Drive  23 

varieties  of  eucalyptus,  and  most  of  these  are 
found  in  Australia.  The  lumber  is  used  for  all 
kinds  of  building  purposes.  Many  of  the  trees 
contain  a  hard  substance,  '  manna,'  from  which 
we  get  a  kind  of  sugar  called  melitose.  Others 
give  us  kino,  a  resin  used  in  medicine.  The  bark 
yields  tannin,  and  from  one  variety  with  '  stringy 
bark  '  we  get  a  fibre  used  for  making  rope,  the 
manufacture  of  paper  and  for  thatching  roofs. 
From  the  leaves  an  oil  is  distilled  which  is  much 
used  in  medicine,  being  particularly  good  to 
dress  wounds  and  for  the  treatment  of  fevers." 

"  It  seems  to  me  that  these  trees  furnish  al- 
most everything  you  need,"  said  Mr.  Hume. 

"  If  you  include  the  birds  who  nest  in  them 
and  the  animals  who  climb  in  the  branches," 
replied  his  brother-in-law,  "  I  fancy  the  Blacks 
did  not  need  to  look  beyond  the  eucalyptus  for 
a  living.  The  wood  built  their  huts,  and  the 
bark  thatched  them.  From  the  fibre  they  made 
mats  for  their  floors  and  hats  to  keep  off  the  sun, 


24    Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

and  clothes,  which  consisted  of  waist  cloth  and 
sandals.  The  leaves  gave  them  medicine  for 
the  fever  and  salve  for  their  wounds.  The 
cockatoos  nesting  in  the  branches  furnished 
them  delicious  food,  while  of  the  feathers  the 
gins  *  made  boas  for  their  necks  and  wonderful 
Easter  bonnets.  It  really  would  seem  as  if  the 
gum  trees  were  all  they  really  needed.  They 
have  another  use  not  to  be  slighted,  for  they 
take  up  the  moisture  rapidly  and  dry  the  soil 
in  rainy  seasons,  thus  reducing  the  malaria  al- 
ways found  in  such  climates  as  these." 

"  They  are  certainly  useful,"  said  Mrs. 
Hume.  "  Is  this  the  station  to  which  we  are 
going?  "  as  they  drove  through  a  fine  gateway. 

"Yes,"  said  Mrs.  McDonald.  "  Wuurna- 
wee-weetch  is  quite  up  to  date  in  every  way. 
The  house  cost  £30,000  to  build  and  the  ranch 
has  every  modern  improvement.  The  grazing 
land  hereabouts  is  perfectly  adapted  to  sheep 

1  Black  women. 


A  Drive  25 

raising.  It  is  so  rich  that  you  may  dig  ten  feet 
down  and  still  find  rich  black  dirt.  The  owner 
of  this  ranch  has  been  most  successful.  He  has 
recently  put  in  new  wool  sheds,  sheep  pens, 
washing  ponds,  and  the  like,  and  you  may,  if 
you  wish,  see  the  whole  process  of  sheep  rais- 
ing, shearing,  pressing,  packing  and  transport- 
ing the  wool.  You  will  see  it  at  our  station  on 
a  smaller  scale."  They  drove  for  an  hour 
about  the  magnificent  place,  and  over  all  the 
estate  was  an  air  of  wealth  and  prosperity. 

The  gardens  were  blooming  with  gay,  trop- 
ical flowers,  and  the  songs  of  the  birds  were  in 
the  air,  as  they  flitted  hither  and  yon  through 
the  branches  of  the  magnificent  trees. 

"  What  is  that  noise,  Aunt  Mildred?  "  asked 
Jean  as  they  drove  through  a  beautiful  grove 
of  pines  which  scented  the  air  deliciously.  "  It 
sounds  like  a  far  away  church  bell." 

"  It  is  the  bell  bird,  dear,  one  of  the  curiosi- 
ties of  Australia,"  replied  her  Aunt.     "  Long, 


26     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

long  before  there  was  a  church  bell  of  any  kind 
in  Australia,  this  little,  lonely  bird  made  its  curi- 
ous bell-like  note.  There  are  some  pretty  verses 
by  one  of  our  poets  about  it." 

"  Can  you  say  them  to  us,  Aunty?" 
"  I  will  try,  —  they  are  really  beautiful,"  she 
said. 

" '  Tis  the  bell  bird  sweetly  singing, 
The  sad,  strange,  small-voiced  bird, 
His  low  sweet  carol  ringing, 
While  scarce  a  sound  is  heard, 
Save  topmost  sprays  aflutter, 
And  withered  leaflets  fall, 
And  the  wistful  oaks  that  utter 
Their  eerie,  drearie,  call. 

"  What  may  be  the  bell  bird  saying, 
In  that  silvery,  tuneful  note  ? 
Like  a  holy  hermit's  praying 
His  devotions  seem  to  float 
From  a  cavern  dark  and  lonely, 
Where,  apart  from  worldly  men, 
He  repeats  one  dear  word  only, 
Fondly  o'er  and  o'er  again." 

"  Is  not  that  pretty?"  said  Mrs.  Hume,  as 
her  sister's  musical  voice  ceased.  "  I  did  not 
know  you  had  such  poets  in  Australia." 


A  Drive  27 

"  Indeed  we  have  a  literature  of  our  own," 
said  Mrs.  McDonald,  "  and  very  beautiful 
things  are  written  by  Australians.  You  have 
much  to  learn  about  this  great  island  continent 
of  ours." 

"  Now  we  must  turn  toward  home,"  said  Mr. 
McDonald,  and  his  wife  said,  "  Drive  back 
past  Tarnpin,  it  is  so  beautiful  about  there. 
Tarnpin,  or  Flowing  Water,  is  a  favourite  spot 
hereabouts.  The  Blacks  have  a  quaint  story 
about  its  origin,  and  I  will  tell  it  to  you  as  old 
Tepal,  a  black  chief,  told  it  to  me. 

"  It  was  the  day  time,  and  all  the  animals 
died  of  thirst.  So  many  died  that  the  Magpie, 
the  Lark,  and  the  Crane  talked  together,  and 
tried  to  find  water  to  drink. 

"  '  It  is  very  strange,'  said  the  Magpie,  *  that 
the  Turkey  Buzzard  is  never  hungry.' 

"  '  He  must,  then,  have  water  to  drink,'  said 
the  wise  Crane. 

"  '  He  flies  away  every  morning,  very  early,' 
said  the  Lark. 


28    Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

"  '  Let  us  rise  before  the  sun  and  watch  him,' 
said  the  Magpie,  and  they  agreed. 

"  Next  morning  the  Turkey  Buzzard  rose 
early  and  crept  from  his  wuurie.1  He  looked 
this  way  and  that  and  saw  no  one.  Then  he 
flew  away.  He  knew  not  that  two  bright  eyes 
peeped  at  him  through  the  leaves  of  the  great 
gum  tree.  He  did  not  hear  the  '  peep,  peep  ' 
with  which  the  Lark  awoke  his  friends.  The 
Lark,  the  Magpie  and  the  Crane  flew  high  to 
the  sky.  They  flew  so  high  that  they  looked  as 
specks  on  the  sun.  The  Turkey  Buzzard  saw 
them  but  thought  they  were  small,  dark  clouds. 
He  flew  to  a  flat  stone  and  lifted  it  up.  And  the 
water  gushed  from  a  spring  in  the  rock  and  he 
drank  and  was  satisfied.  Then  he  put  back  the 
stone  and  flew  away. 

"  The  three  friends  laughed  and  were  glad. 
Quickly  they  flew  to  the  stone,  singing,  '  We 
have   caught   him ! '    and   drank  of   the    fresh 

'Hut. 


A  Drive  29 

water.  They  bathed  in  the  pool  and  flapped 
their  wings  until  the  waters  rose  and  became  a 
lake  of  clear  water.  Then  they  spread  their 
wings  and  flew  over  the  earth,  and  the  waters 
dropped  from  their  wings  and  fell  to  the  thirsty 
earth.  They  made  there  water  holes,  and  ever 
since  there  have  been  drinking  places  all  over  the 
land." 

"  My  but  that's  a  jolly  story,"  said  Fergus,  the 
irrepressible.  "  Did  you  really  know  the  Blacks, 
Aunt  Mildred?    Are  there  any  around  here?" 

"  None  very  near,"  said  his  aunt.  "  Indeed, 
they  are  mostly  dying  out.  People  who  have 
lived  here  a  long  time  used  to  know  them  and 
say  they  were  a  kindly  people.  They  were  very 
fond  of  children  and  I  do  not  think  they  were 
cruel  or  quarrelsome  unless  roused  to  anger. 
They  have  nearly  all  buried  themselves  in  the 
Bush,  but  you  will  be  likely  to  see  some  of  them 
at  our  station.  There  used  to  be  a  number 
around  the  {  run,'  and  when  we  first  came  out 


30    Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

we  had  some  rather  curious  experiences  with 
them.  We  do  not  see  many  now,  their  experi- 
ences with  white  people  were  not  always  pleas- 
ant, I  am  sorry  to  say." 

"  I  hope  we  shall  see  some  of  them,"  said 
Fergus. 

"  I  like  black  people,"  said  little  Jean. 

"What  does  she  know  of  Blacks?"  asked 
her  aunt,  smiling,  and  her  mother  replied, 

"  Some  people  from  the  States  came  to  our 
farm  one  fall  for  the  shooting  and  they  had  a 
black  nurse  for  the  baby.  Jean  took  a  great 
fancy  to  her,  and  we  simply  couldn't  keep  her 
from  toddling  after  Dinah.  She  was  a  faithful 
soul,  so  good  and  kind." 

"  Those  who  have  lived  here  for  many  years 
say  that  if  you  once  make  a  friend  of  a  Black  he 
will  do  anything  for  you,"  said  Mr.  McDonald. 
"  I  never  had  any  trouble  with  them  around  my 
station,  though  other  squatters  did." 

"  I  think  it's  all  in  the  way  you  treat  them," 


A  Drive  31 

said  his  wife.  "  Of  course  the  Blacks  near  the 
'  run  '  are  not  the  wild  Blacks  from  the  interior, 
the  man-eating  kind,  but  a  gentler  race." 

"  Well,  I  hope  we  shall  see  some  of  them," 
said  Fergus.  "  But  I  shouldn't  care  for  can- 
nibals." 


CHAPTER    IV 


ON   THE   WAY  TO  THE    "  RUN  " 


It  was  a  bright  morning  when  they  left  Syd- 
ney to  go  to  the  station,  taking  the  train  early 
in  the  day,  for  there  was  a  railway  ride  of  sev- 
eral hours  before  them,  as  well  as  a  long  drive. 

"  Now  you  are  going  to  see  something  of  Aus- 
tralian life,"  said  Mr.  McDonald.  "  Life  in 
Sydney  or  Melbourne  is  very  little  different  from 
that  in  Liverpool  or  Glasgow.  On  the  big  sta- 
tions it  is  much  the  same  as  on  the  country  places 
at  home,  but  my  station  is  typical  of  Australia." 

"  Is  it  in  the  Bush,  Uncle?  "  asked  Fergus. 

"  Hear  the  laddie  talking  like  an  old  squat- 
ter," laughed  Mr.  McDonald.  "  Yes  and  no. 
You  see  the  Australians  who  live  in  the  cities 

consider  all  the  rest  of  the  continent  the  Bush, 

32 


On  the  Way  to  the  "  Run  "     33 

but  to  those  who  live  in  the  grazing  and  farm- 
ing districts  the  country  inland  is  the  Bush  or 
the  '  Back  Country.'  Our  run  is  beautifully  situ- 
ated just  on  the  edge  of  the  Dividing  Range, 
and  we  are  lucky  enough  to  have  a  river  run- 
ning through  one  side,  so  that  the  run  is  seldom 
dry." 

"What  is  the  Dividing  Range?  "  asked  Fer- 
gus, who  was  determined  to  understand  every- 
thing he  heard.  If  he  did  not,  it  was  not  be- 
cause he  did  not  ask  questions  enough  about  it. 

"  The  Dividing  Range  is  the  high  land  which 
separates  the  east  and  west  of  the  continent 
and  runs  from  north  to  south  along  the  coast. 
It  is  sometimes  called  the  Australian  Alps,  and 
some  of  the  peaks  are  7,000  feet  high.  The 
eastern  part  of  Australia  runs  in  a  long  strip 
of  fertile  ground  along  the  coast.  West  of  this 
are  the  mountains  and  beyond  them  is  a  high 
plateau  which  slopes  down  to  the  plains  of  Cen- 
tral Australia.     This  central  portion  is  an  al- 


34    Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

most  unknown  country.  There  are  no  great 
rivers  and  little  rain.  The  land  is  terribly  dry 
and  very  hot.  Many  who  have  gone  to  explore 
it  have  never  returned  and  no  one  knows  their 
fate.  Perhaps  they  have  died  of  thirst,  perhaps 
they  have  been  killed  by  the  Blacks.  This  part 
of  the  country  is  called  '  Never,  Never  Land.'  " 

"  Uncle  Angus,"  asked  Fergus,  as  his  uncle 
paused.  "  When  you  came  to  your  station  were 
you  a  squatter?  " 

His  uncle's  hearty  laugh  rang  out.  "  No, 
my  boy,  but  I  bought  my  run  from  a  squatter," 
he  answered.  "  The  days  of  squatters  were 
about  over  when  I  came  out.  What  do  you 
know  about  squatters?" 

"  I  don't  know  anything,"  answered  Fergus. 
"  Only  I  have  heard  the  name  and  thought 
maybe  you  would  tell  us  about  them." 

"  In  the  old  times,  before  Australia  had 
started  in  the  trade,  the  wool  from  the  sheep  on 
the  runs  was  very  important  to  her,"  said  Mr. 


On  the  Way  to  the  "  Run  "     35 

McDonald.  "  Men  would  come  out  to  the 
country,  and,  not  having  very  much  money,  they 
could  perhaps  buy  a  small  homestead  and  stock 
it,  but  little  more.  They  would  have  to  have 
large  tracts  of  land  to  pasture  their  sheep,  but 
had  not  money  enough  to  buy  the  land.  They 
therefore  settled  down  and  took  what  they 
needed  without  permission,  and  so  were  called 
'  squatters.'  The  Government  did  not  interfere 
with  them,  because  the  wool  from  their  sheep 
was  needed  and  because  the  country  was  so  big 
there  seemed  land  enough  for  everyone.  In 
time  the  matter  was  arranged  by  the  Govern- 
ment's dividing  the  back  country  into  grazing 
districts,  which  all  the  squatters  might  use  by 
paying  a  yearly  rent." 

"  How  did  the  squatters  keep  their  sheep 
from  other  people?"  Fergus  inquired. 

"  Every  flock  had  its  shepherd,  who  led  it 
wherever  food  and  water  were  to  be  found," 
was  the  answer.     "  The  life  of  a  shepherd  was 


36     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

a  lonely  one.  He  had  to  watch  the  sheep  and 
lambs  and  see  that  the  dingoes1  did  not  get  at 
them.  The  shepherd  never  saw  any  other  people 
except  the  man  who  brought  his  supplies  from 
the  station.  His  dogs  were  his  only  friends, 
and  often  these  shepherd  dogs  are  marvels  of 
intelligence  and  loyalty.  For  a  time  the  squat- 
ters prospered  and  some  of  them  grew  im- 
mensely wealthy.  These  were  called  c  Wool 
Kings  '  and  lived  on  their  stations  extravagantly, 
building  houses  such  as  you  saw  at  Wuurna-wee- 
weetch. 

"  But  sheep  raising  is  not  all  plain  sailing  in 
Australia.  Rabbits  were  brought  into  the  coun- 
try, and  these  proved  to  be  a  regular  plague, 
destroying  the  grass,  so  that  the  Government 
passed  a  law  that  squatters  must  help  to  exter- 
minate them,  which  put  them  to  a  great  expense. 

"  When  I  came  here  twenty  years  ago,  I  got 
my  station  from  a  squatter  who  had  worked  it 
for  years  and  had  made  enough  to  sell  out  and 

1  Wild  dogs. 


On  the  Way  to  the  "Run"     37 

go  to  Sydney,  where  it  had  always  been  his  ambi- 
tion to  live.  I  have  worked  hard  and  been  suc- 
cessful. When  you  see  our  station  I  think  you 
will  want  to  stay  in  this  country  instead  of  trying 
to  find  gold  in  '  Never,  Never  Land,'  "  he  said 
to  his  brother-in-law. 

"  Perhaps  I  shall,  but  I  have  no  money  to  buy 
a  station  and  I  can't  be  a  squatter  now,"  said 
Mr.  Hume. 

Their  way  lay  through  a  beautiful  semi-trop- 
ical country.  The  train  moved  through  fertile 
valleys,  fine  woodland  and  green  vales,  and 
bridged  cool  mountain  streams.  When  their 
stopping  place  was  reached  and  they  alighted 
from  the  train  to  find  a  comfortable  cart  and 
good  horses  awaiting  them,  Fergus  exclaimed, 
"  It  doesn't  seem  to  me  that  travelling  in  Aus- 
tralia is  very  hard  work." 

"  Wait  till  you  get  to  the  Bush,"  said  his 
uncle.    "  And  have  to  tramp  it  with  your  swag  * 

1  Name  given  to  the  pack  carried  on  the  back. 


38     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

upon  your  back,  make  your  own  supper  over  a 
twig  fire,  stir  your  tea  in  a  billy  1  with  a  euca- 
lyptus twig,  and  roll  up  in  a  blanket  to  sleep, 
waking  up  to  find  a  dukite  snake  taking  a  nap 
on  your  breast,  —  that's  real  Australia  for  you." 

u  I  like  your  kind  better,"  said  Jean  with  a 
shudder,  but  Fergus  said  boastingly, 

"  Well,  I'm  not  afraid  of  the  Bush." 

"  Wait  and  see,"  said  his  father  as  they  drove 
through  the  gate  which  led  into  Mr.  McDon- 
ald's run. 

It  was  a  beautiful  station  and  well  suited  for 
the  sheep  farming  from  which  the  owner  had 
made  his  money.  The  land  lay  in  a  triangle,  on 
two  sides  of  which  was  a  considerable  stream 
while  the  main  road  formed  the  third  boundary. 
The  land  was  fenced  with  stout  rail  fences  while 
the  paddocks  were  fenced  with  wire. 

The  house  was  built  of  stone,  of  one  story, 
with  a  broad  veranda  running  around  all  four 

1  Bucket  for  water,  carried  by  Australians. 


On  the  Way   to  the  "  Run  "    39 

sides,  shaded  in  vines  and  looking  on  a  garden 
in  which  gorgeous-hued  flowers  bloomed  in 
brilliant  beauty.  There  was  an  air  of  great  com- 
fort about  the  place.  Hammocks  were  slung  in 
the  porches  and  easy  chairs  were  placed  invi- 
tingly about. 

Long  windows  clear  to  the  floor  opened  into 
the  living  rooms  and  a  wide  hallway  ran  through 
the  middle  of  the  house.  On  one  side  was  a 
drawing  room,  at  the  other,  dining  room  and 
living  room.  The  guests  caught  glimpses  of 
books  and  music  as  they  were  ushered  into  their 
cool  bedrooms.  These  opened  on  to  the  veranda 
and  were  cool  and  pleasant,  with  gay  chintz 
and  white  hangings.  What  a  delightful  visit 
the  children  had  at  the  run !  It  was  perhaps 
pleasanter  for  them  than  for  the  grown  folk, 
for  Sandy,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McDonald's  only 
child,  a  boy  of  ten,  was  a  perfect  imp  of  mis- 
chief, and  he  led  his  two  cousins  into  everything 
that  he  could  think  of.     Fergus  was  not  far 


40     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

behind,  and  Jean  trudged  after  the  boys,  grow- 
ing strong  and  rosy  in  the  Australian  sunshine. 

"  Australia  is  making  the  greatest  change  in 
Jean,"  said  her  mother  to  Mrs.  McDonald  one 
day,  as  they  sat  upon  the  veranda.  "  At  home 
she  was  so  shy  she  would  scarcely  look  at  any 
one.  She  seemed  delicate  and  I  was  worried 
for  fear  she  would  never  learn  to  take  care  of 
herself  in  this  world." 

"  She  will  grow  up  into  the  most  self-reliant 
kind  of  a  girl  in  the  Bush,"  said  her  sister. 
"  She  is  a  dear  little  girl  and  I  think  there  is 
plenty  of  strength  of  character  under  her  shy 
little  ways." 

"  I  wonder  what  the  three  are  doing  now," 
said  Jean's  mother.  "  It  has  been  some  time 
since  we  heard  a  shriek  of  any  kind  —  oh  — 
what  is  that?"  for  as  she  spoke  there  came  a 
scream  so  loud  and  piercing  from  the  shrubbery 
that  both  women  sprang  to  their  feet  and  rushed 
across  the  lawn. 


On  the  Way  to  the  "  Run  "     4 1 

Midway  between  the  house  and  the  garden 
they  met  the  three  children,  both  boys  holding 
Jean's  hands  and  helping  her  to  run  to  the  house, 
while  the  little  girl,  her  face  covered  with  blood 
and  tears,  was  trying  not  to  cry. 

"  Jean's  hurt,"  cried  Sandy. 

"  So  I  should  judge,"  said  his  mother,  trying 
to  keep  calm,  while  both  boys  began  to  talk  at 
once,  so  that  no  one  could  understand  a  word 
they  said. 

Mrs.  Hume  gathered  Jean  in  her  arms  and 
carried  her  quickly  to  the  house,  where  she 
washed  the  little,  tear-stained  face.  The  child's 
lip  was  terribly  cut  and  she  was  badly  fright- 
ened, but  not  seriously  hurt,  and  as  she  cuddled 
down  in  her  mother's  arms  she  sighed, 

"  Nice  mother !  I  don't  mind  being  hurt  when 
you  are  here  to  fix  me  up." 

"  Tell  me  what  happened,  dear,"  said  her 
mother,  as  she  stroked  the  fair  hair. 

"  We  were  playing,"  Jean  said.     "  The  boys 


42     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

had  sticks  and  we  heard  a  queer  rustle  in  the 
bushes.  Sandy  said  it  was  a  snake  and  beat  the 
bushes  to  drive  him  out.  It  ran  out  just  in  front 
of  Fergus  and  I  thought  it  would  bite  him,  and 
I  didn't  want  anything  to  happen  to  my  brother 
so  I  ran  up  behind  him  just  as  he  swung  his 
stick  over  his  shoulder  to  hit  the  snake.  He  hit 
me  in  the  mouth,  but  of  course  he  didn't  mean 
to,  Mother.  I  screamed  because  it  hurt  me  so, 
and  then  I  tried  not  to  cry  because  I  knew  it 
would  worry  you.  It  doesn't  hurt  so  badly  now, 
Mother." 

"  I'm  sorry  it  hurts  at  all,  darling,"  her 
mother  held  her  close.  "  You  were  a  good 
child  and  brave  not  to  cry.  Crawl  up  in  the 
hammock  now  and  take  a  nap,  and  you  will 
feel  better  when  you  wake  up." 

"  I  hope  Fergus  and  Sandy  won't  do  any- 
thing very  interesting  while  I  am  asleep,"  the 
little  girl  murmured  drowsily,  as  she  dropped 
off  to  sleep. 


On  the  Way  to  the  "  Run  "     43 

Fergus  and  Sandy  undoubtedly  would.  They 
were  very  kind  to  Jean,  but  there  was  no  doubt 
that  they  found  the  little  girl  a  clog  upon  their 
movements.  Fergus  was  used  to  taking  care  of 
her,  but  Sandy  had  no  sisters  and  he  sometimes 
wished  the  little  cousin  would  not  tag  quite  so 
much. 

"  You  can't  really  do  anything  much  when  a 
girl  is  tagging  around,"  he  said  to  his  mother, 
but  that  long-suffering  woman  proved  strangely 
unsympathetic. 

"  I  think  I  shall  keep  Jean  always  if  her  being 
here  keeps  you  out  of  mischief,"  she  said  with 
a  smile,  and  Sandy  answered, 

"  Well,  keep  Fergus  too,  then." 

No  sooner  was  Jean  asleep  than  the  boys  de- 
cided the  time  had  come  for  them  to  carry  out 
a  plan  long  since  formed,  but  laid  aside  for  a 
convenient  season.  At  one  side  of  the  run  was 
a  little  lake,  formed  where  one  of  the  boundary 
streams  was  dammed.    A  windmill  carried  water 


44    Out  Little  Australian  Cousin 

from  this  to  a  platform  and  upon  this  were  iron 
tanks  from  which  pipes  carried  water  through 
the  house.  The  boys  had  decided  to  climb  to 
the  top  of  the  reservoir  and  slide  down  the  pipes, 
which  seemed  to  them  would  be  an  exciting  per- 
formance. The  climbing  up  was  not  difficult 
and  Sandy  took  the  first  slide. 

"  It's  great  fun,"  he  shouted.  "  Let  me  have 
another!  "  as  he  clambered  up  again. 

"  It's  my  turn,"  cried  Fergus,  astride  of  the 
pipe. 

"  Let  me.  You  wait,"  said  Sandy,  who  was 
used  to  playing  alone  and  not  to  having  any-one 
dispute  with  him. 

"I  tell  you  it's  my  turn!"  Fergus'  temper 
rose.     "  You  don't  play  fair." 

There  was  a  scramble  and  a  cry,  both  boys 
lost  their  balance  and  fell,  and  the  sound  of 
breaking  glass  crashed  through  the  air. 

Both  mothers  rushed  to  the  scene  to  find  two 
pairs  of  arms  and  legs  waving  wildly  from  the 


On  the  Way  to  the  "  Run  "     45 

hot-bed,  while  broken  glass  was  scattered  hither 
and  yon. 

"  You  dreadful  boys,  you  have  fallen  right 
into  the  flower  beds  and  broken  the  glass !  Are 
you  badly  hurt?"  cried  Mrs.  McDonald,  as 
each  mother  dragged  out  a  son. 

Very  crestfallen  were  the  boys  as  they  stood 
up,  their  faces  covered  with  scratches  and 
Sandy's  hand  badly  cut. 

"  What  were  you  doing?  "  asked  both  moth- 
ers sternly. 

"  Sliding  down  the  water  pipe,"  said  Sandy. 

"  Quarrelling,"  said  Fergus. 

"  Nice  way  to  spend  the  morning,"  said  Mr. 
McDonald,  who  appeared  at  that  moment  from 
the  stables.  "  Go  and  get  washed  up  and  we'll 
see  if  you  have  any  broken  glass  in  your  cuts." 

When  the  damages  were  repaired  neither  boy 
was  found  to  be  much  hurt,  but  Jean  begged  so 
hard  that  they  should  not  be  punished,  that 
the  two  were  let  off  for  that  time. 


46     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

"  The  next  piece  of  mischief  you  get  into 
you'll  be  sent  to  bed  for  a  day  to  rest  up  and 
think  it  over,"  said  Sandy's  father,  and  the  boys 
assured  him  that  they  would  never,  never  do 
anything  again  as  long  as  they  lived. 


CHAPTER    V 

LIFE   AT  DJERINALLUM 

While  the  children  played  happily  together 
the  grown  folk  had  many  an  anxious  consulta- 
tion as  to  ways  and  means. 

11  I  wish  I  could  persuade  you  to  stay  with 
us,  Elsie,"  said  her  sister.  "  Let  your  husband 
go  by  himself,  on  his  wild  goose  chase  after 
gold." 

"Oh,  I  can't  do  that,"  said  Mrs.  Hume. 
"  I  can  rough  it,  and  it  will  do  Fergus  good, 
but  I  am  afraid  of  it  for  Jeanie." 

"  Let  me  keep  her,"  said  Mrs.   McDonald 

eagerly.      "Oh,    do,    Elsie!      I    have    always 

wanted  a  little  girl  to  pet  and  take  care  of  and 

Jean  will  be  ever  so  much  safer  with  me  than 

travelling   through   the   wild   country   you   are 

going  into  on  your  way  to  the  Gold  Fields." 

47 


48     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

"  It  might  be  best,"  Mrs.  Hume  said  thought- 
fully. "  I  will  talk  it  over  with  Fergus  and 
leave  Jean  in  your  care,  going  with  him,  if  he 
agrees." 

Mr.  Hume,  however,  had  very  decided  ideas 
as  to  what  was  best  to  be  done. 

"  Since  your  sister  and  her  husband  are  so 
anxious  to  keep  you,  my  dear,  I  am  sure  it  will 
be  best  for  you  and  Jean  to  stay  here  at  the  run. 
My  trip  to  the  Gold  Fields  is  only  an  experi- 
ment. It  will  be  a  long,  hard  journey  and  an 
expensive  one,  and  I  may  not  find  anything 
worth  doing  when  I  get  there,  and  in  that  case 
will  return  and  take  up  stock  farming.  McDon- 
ald offers  me  a  chance  now,  but  I  feel  as  though 
I  ought  to  make  the  trial  before  accepting  help. 

"  I  will  take  Fergus  with  me.  The  trip  will 
not  hurt  him  and  he  would  drive  you  distracted 
if  left  here  with  Sandy.  I  shall  do  better  work 
feeling  that  you  and  the  lassie  are  safe  and  well 
cared  for  here." 


Life  at  Djerinallum  49 

"  I  hate  to  have  you  go  without  me,  but  I 
must  do  as  you  think  best,"  said  his  wife.  So  it 
was  arranged,  and  with  a  heavy  heart  Jean  saw 
her  father  and  brother  drive  away  from  the  run, 
starting  on  their  long  trip  to  the  Gold  Fields. 

"Why  does  father  have  to  go  away?"  she 
asked  her  uncle,  who  had  taken  her  before  him 
for  a  ride  on  his  big,  black  horse,  "  The  Bruce." 

"  He  has  gone  to  hunt  for  gold,  lassie,  so  you 
can  have  fine  clothes  to  wear,"  he  answered. 

"  I'd  rather  have  father  here  and  not  have 
fine  clothes,"  she  said,  her  lip  quivering.  "  How 
do  they  get  gold  in  fields,  Uncle?  I  didn't  know 
it  grew  like  flowers  and  grass." 

"  It  doesn't,  lassie,"  he  answered.  "  They 
just  call  the  place  they  find  it  the  Gold  Fields. 
It  is  dug  out  of  the  earth,  where  it  is  found 
mixed  with  sand  and  stone." 

"  Well,  where  are  the  Gold  Fields  and  who 
found  there  was  gold  there?  "  asked  Jean.  She 
liked  her  burly  uncle,  who  was  always  ready  to 


50     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

talk  to  her  and  who  explained  everything  about 
the  run  so  pleasantly. 

"  The  Gold  Fields  extend  all  over  Western 
Australia,"  said  Mr.  McDonald.  "  Gold  was 
first  discovered  here  in  1823  and  people  have 
gone  mad  with  gold  fever  ever  since.  The  pre- 
cious metal  has  been  found  in  Victoria,  New 
South  Wales  and  Queensland,  but  recently  it  has 
been  discovered  in  Western  Australia.  The 
miners  often  strike  a  good  lead  and  grow  very 
rich,  but  it  is  a  hard  life  and  especially  so  in  the 
districts  where  there  is  little  water.  In  the  old 
days  men  often  died  of  thirst,  but  now  they  have 
ways  of  storing  the  rain  which  falls  in  the  wet 
season  so  that  they  do  not  suffer  much. 

"  There  are  many  interesting  things  about  the 
gold  regions  if  the  life  there  is  hard.  Trains 
of  camels  carry  the  swag  of  the  miners  across 
the  sandy  deserts.  These  beasts  were  imported 
especially  for  this  work,  since  they  can  go  longer 
without  water  than  any  other  animals,  and  often 


Life  at  Djerinallum  51 

it  is  a  long  ways  from  one  good  water  hole  to 
another.  The  miners  '  peg  out '  their  claims  in 
the  new  places  and  set  to  work  sifting  the  sands 
in  which  are  found  the  grains  of  gold,  sometimes 
as  large  as  nuts.  Soon  there  is  a  camp  started. 
Little  canvas  huts  dot  the  country.  Then  if  the 
camp  proves  successful,  houses  are  built  and 
finally  a  city  will  grow  up,  almost  as  if  by  magic. 
One  city,  that  of  Ballarat,  has  grown  in  twenty- 
five  years  to  be  one  of  the  handsomest  in  Aus- 
tralia. It  has  broad  streets,  fine  houses,  and  a 
beautiful  park.  The  swamp  land  near  by  has 
been  made  into  a  lake  surrounded  by  velvet- 
turfed  pleasure  grounds,  planted  with  wonderful 
trees  and  flowers.  Kalgoorlie,  in  only  ten  years, 
is  almost  a  golden  city,  to  which  water  is 
brought  two  hundred  miles  in  pipes,  to  drive 
the  engines  which  extract  the  gold  from  the 
quartz." 

"  Thank  you,  Uncle,  for  telling  me  all  about 
It,"  said  Jeanie.    "  I  hope  father  will  find  a  good 


52     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

mine  and  then  sell  it  out  quickly  and  come  back 
to  buy  a  run  near  you.  That  is  what  I  should 
like  best  of  anything." 

"  So  should  I,  child,"  her  uncle  smiled  at  her. 
11  Here  we  are  at  the  stables.  Jump  down  and 
run  and  call  Sandy  for  me  and  I'll  take  you  both 
with  me  while  I  go  over  the  sheds." 

"  I've  always  wanted  to  know  about  these 
queer  looking  sheds,"  said  Jean  as  she  and  Sandy 
trudged  after  her  uncle. 

"  This  long  building  is  the  wool  shed,"  he 
said.  "  Now  it  is  empty  and  quiet,  but  when  it 
is  shearing  time  there  is  noise  enough.  At  this 
end  is  the  wool  press,  and  the  shearing  board 
runs  along  the  sides  of  the  shed.  Sheep  used  to 
be  sheared  by  hand,  but  Lord  Wesley's  brother 
invented  a  machine  for  shearing  which  is  a  won- 
derful thing.  Would  you  two  youngsters  like 
to  ride  around  the  run  with  me?  I  have  to  go 
over  to  the  paddocks  to-day." 

"Oh,  Uncle,  may  I  ride?"  exclaimed  Jean. 


Life  at  Djerinallum  53 

"  I  had  a  little  Shetland  pony  at  home  and  I 
have  missed  him  so  much." 

"  You  may  ride  Sandy's  pony,  and  he  will 
take  Wallace,  while  I  will  ride  '  The  Bruce,'  " 
said  Mr.  McDonald,  and  both  the  children 
fairly  jumped  with  delight.  They  rode  around 
the  run,  the  master  looking  everything  over  care- 
fully. 

"  Every  paddock  has  its  own  flock,"  he  ex- 
plained to  Jean.  "  In  one  the  ewes  are  kept, 
in  another  the  wethers,  and  then  there  is  a 
paddock  for  the  horses  and  another  for  the 
cows." 

"  How  do  you  get  so  many  animals  fed," 
asked  Jean. 

"  They  graze  on  the  grass,  and  those  great 
fields  of  alfalfa  over  there  are  grown  to  use  as 
food.  It  has  to  be  irrigated  and  is  quite  a  little 
trouble,  but  it  pays  in  the  end.  That  house  is 
where  the  manager  lives,  with  his  family  and 
the  jackaroos." 


54     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

"  What  is  a  jackaroo?  Some  kind  of  a  bird?  " 
asked  Jean.  Sandy  shouted  with  laughter  and 
his  uncle  smiled  as  he  answered, 

"  No,  child,  jackaroo  is  the  name  given  to  the 
young  fellows  who  are  new  at  the  station  and 
just  learning  Australian  customs.  All  kinds  of 
jokes  are  played  on  them  by  the  old  hands  and 
they  have  a  hard  time  at  first.  A  story  is  told 
of  some  Englishmen  who  had  just  come  out  and 
were  going  hunting.  They  hadn't  found  any 
game  and  so  they  asked  some  station  hands  if 
they  had  seen  any.  '  There's  a  jackaroo  down 
near  the  water  hole,'  said  the  cook,  wickedly, 
so  the  two  men  hurried  away  to  shoot  the 
strange  animal,  and  lo !  it  was  a  young  man 
like  themselves." 

"What  do  jackaroos  do,  Uncle?"  asked 
Jean. 

"  Well,  they  have  to  learn  to  do  all  the  work 
there  is  to  do  at  a  station,  so  that  some  day  they 
may  get  to  be  managers  or  even  run  stations  of 


Life  at  Djerinallum  55 

their  own.  They  have  to  ride  the  boundary 
every  day  to  see  that  there  are  not  holes  in  the 
fences,  and  that  the  water  holes  are  full.  Only 
one  man  is  needed  to  look  after  7,500  sheep,  so 
he  is  kept  pretty  busy." 

"  There  are  so  many  buildings  somebody  must 
have  to  look  after  them.  Do  the  jackaroos  do 
that?  "  asked  Jean. 

"  No,  all  the  repair  work  on  the  station  is 
given  to  a  set  of  men  who  dig  water  holes,  build 
fences,  and  do  any  necessary  carpenter  work. 
These  draw  their  groceries,  meat,  and  so  forth 
from  the  stores,  but  do  not  eat  at  our  tables.  I 
don't  believe  Wu  Ling:  would  stand  it  if  he  had 
to  cook  for  them." 

"  Isn't  he  funny? "  said  Jean,  laughing. 
"  He  lets  me  come  in  the  kitchen  and  watch  him 
bake  brownie,  but  he  won't  allow  Fergus  or 
Sandy  there  at  all.  Do  all  stations  have  Chinese 
cooks?  " 

"  Not  all,  but  a  great  many  do.    The  Chinese 


56     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

are  the  best  cooks  we  can  get.  A  great  many 
people  hate  the  yellow-skinned  Celestials  and 
raise  a  hue  and  cry  about  a  '  White  Australia,' 
but  I  don't  know  what  we  of  the  far  stations 
would  do  without  them." 

"  Wu  Ling  cooks  very  good  things,"  said 
Sandy.  "  But  he  got  very  angry  when  Fergus 
called  him  '  pig  tail.'  " 

"  That  wasn't  nice  of  Fergus,"  said  Jean. 
"  What  beautiful  thistles  and  sweet  briar, 
Uncle." 

"  Not  beautiful  in  our  eyes,"  said  her  uncle, 
as  they  rode  by  a  magnificent  clump  of  sweet 
briar,  the  pink  blossoms  making  a  lovely  spot 
of  colour  against  the  purple  of  the  thistles. 
"  Some  patriotic  Scot  brought  the  first  thistles 
to  Australia,  and  an  English  family  the  roses, 
and  many's  the  day  I  have  wished  they  never 
came.  The  soil  here  is  so  rich  that  everything 
grows  fast,  and  the  thorny  plants  have  spread 
all  over  the  land,  in  some  places  growing  so 


Life  at  Djerinallum  57 

thick  that  they  have  ruined  whole  tracts  of 
grazing  land.  They  are  nearly  as  bad  as  the 
foxes.  These  were  brought  to  destroy  the  rab- 
bits which  ate  up  the  crops,  but  Mr.  Reynard 
likes  chicken  far  better  than  hare,  and  he  has 
increased  so  rapidly  that  it  is  almost  impossible 
to  get  rid  of  him,  though  rewards  are  offered 
for  his  scalp  and  in  one  year  over  thirty  thou- 
sand skins  were  brought  in." 

"  Do  they  scalp  rabbits,  too?  "  asked  Jean. 

"  Trapping  rabbits  is  a  regular  Australian 
business,"  said  her  uncle.  "  A  good  trapper 
can  make  £4  a  week  catching  them,  and  the 
fur  is  used  to  make  felt  hats." 

"  There  are  lots  and  lots  of  interesting  things 
in  your  country,"  said  Jean  brightly. 

"  But  shearing  time  will  be  the  fun,"  said 
Sandy. 

"  Oh,  I'd  like  to  see  them  shear.  May  I, 
Uncle?  "  cried  Jean. 

"  Yes,  indeed,  you  may  see  anything  you  like. 


58     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

We'll  make  a  regular  station-hand  of  you  before 
you  are  done,"  he  laughed. 

"  I'm  only  a  little  jackaroo  now,"  she  said. 
"  What  is  that  queer  noise?  It  seemed  to  come 
from  under  those  trees." 

"  That  is  the  lyre  bird,  isn't  he  a  handsome 
fellow?  See,  there  he  is  beneath  that  bottle  tree. 
We  have  a  pair  of  them  and  never  allow  them 
to  be  touched,  as  they  are  quite  rare  in  this  part 
of  the  country,  though  found  quite  frequently 
in  the  scrub. 

"  The  tail  of  the  male  is  just  like  an  old-fash- 
ioned lyre,  and  it  is  one  of  the  most  interesting 
of  our  birds." 

"  Did  you  say  that  was  a  bottle  tree?  "  asked 
Jean. 

"  Yes.  Don't  you  see  it  is  shaped  just  like  a 
huge  bottle,  the  branches  growing  out  of  the 
mouth  ?  The  stems  have  water  in  them,  and 
if  you  are  ever  lost  in  the  Bush  and  thirsty, 
find  a  bottle  tree  and  get  a  drink.    The  Blacks 


THAT    IS    THE    LYRE    BIRD,    ISN  T    HE    A    HANDSOME 


FELLOW 


Life  at  Djerinallum  59 

eat  the  roots,  which  are  full  of  a  kind  of 
gum." 

"  I  never  heard  of  such  a  place  as  this,"  said 
Jean.  "  It  seems  as  if  everything  in  Australia 
was  useful.  Everything  but  little  girls,"  she 
added. 

"  Little  girls  are  very  useful  in  making  other 
people  happy,"  said  her  uncle  kindly. 

"  But  I'd  like  to  be  really  useful  and  learn  to 
do  something,"  said  Jean. 

"  You  will  when  you  are  bigger,"  he  an- 
swered. "  You  must  get  well  and  strong  before 
you  can  do  very  much,  lassie.  But  you  will  be 
useful  enough  as  you  grow  older." 

"  I  don't  see  why  you  are  in  such  a  hurry  to 
go  to  work,"  said  Sandy.  "  I  think  you  have 
a  pretty  fine  time !  " 


CHAPTER  VI 

"lost!" 

Life  at  the  run  proved  pleasant  to  Jean  and 
full  of  Interesting  happenings.  She  missed  her 
father  and  Fergus,  but  she  and  Sandy  soon  grew 
to  be  great  friends,  and  many  were  the  thrill- 
ing bits  of  mischief  into  which  he  dragged  her, 
sure  that  he  would  escape  punishment  if  Jean 
were  only  to  say,  "  Don't  punish  Sandy,  Uncle 
Angus,  I  did  it  too." 

The  little  girl  loved  her  Aunt  Mildred,  but 

more  than  any  one  at  the  station  her  uncle  had 

won  her  heart.    She  grew  to  be  his  little  shadow, 

driving   and   riding  with   him,   sun-tanned   and 

rosy,  growing  strong  and  healthy  in  the   free 

Australian  life. 

"  You   are   getting  as   fat  as   a   Chinaman's 
60 


-Lost!"  6 1 

horse,  lassie,"  said  her  uncle  as  they  rode  to  the 
river  one  day. 

"  Why  do  you  say  that?  "  she  asked. 

"  The  Chinese  are  always  very  kind  to  their 
horses  and  keep  them  fat  and  slick,  so  that  has 
grown  to  be  a  proverb,  though  some  people  say 
as  '  fat  as  a  larrikin's  dog,'  instead." 

"  What  is  a  larrikin?  "  Jean  was  growing  as 
full  of  questions  as  Fergus. 

"  Larrikin  is  a  slang  term  applied  to  the  idlers 
who  lounge  about  the  cities,  a  dog  at  their  heels, 
like  the  'Enery  'Awkins  of  London  or  Glasgow. 
There  are  many  of  them  in  Australia  and  they 
have  formed  a  kind  of  secret  society  among 
themselves,  which  is  not  a  very  good  thing. 
Here  is  a  fine  bit  for  a  canter,  Jeanie.  I'll  beat 
you  to  the  big  eucalyptus." 

"  No,  you  won't."  Jean  chirruped  to  her 
pony  and  was  off  like  a  shot  through  the  open 
paddock,  jumping  a  fence  as  if  on  wings.  She 
loved  to  gallop  when  the  air  was  filled  with  the 


62    Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

fragrance  of  the  wattle  and  the  gum,  and  she 
had  grown  to  ride  like  a  little  centaur. 

"  Well  done,"  cried  her  uncle  as  she  drew  up 
at  the  gate,  laughing  and  breathless,  her  horse 
half  a  head  in  advance  of  his.  "  We  are  so 
near  to  '  Mason's  run,'  I  think  we'll  have  time 
to  stop  there.  I  want  to  see  him  about  several 
things,  so  we'll  ride  on." 

"  Very  well,  Uncle.    Is  it  a  sheep  run?  " 

"  No,  cattle.  You  have  not  seen  one  yet,  so 
keep  your  eyes  open  and  learn  all  you  can. 
Mason  breeds  the  long  horns,  sullen  beasts,  but 
good  stock." 

"  I  shall  be  glad  to  see  them,"  she  said,  and 
they  cantered  up  to  the  homestead,  which  was 
very  unlike  her  uncle's  station. 

Built  of  wood,  with  a  galvanized-iron  roof, 
the  house  stood  on  piles,  but  between  each  pile 
and  the  house  was  a  tin  plate  to  keep  the  white 
ants  from  climbing  into  the  rooms.  Several 
gins  1  came  out  to  see  who  the  strangers  were, 
1  Black  women. 


"  Lost  I  "  63 

the  first  that  Jean  had  seen,  and  she  looked  at 
them  curiously.  Not  more  so,  however,  than 
they  looked  at  her,  for  they  stared  at  her  and 
whispered  together. 

"  They  don't  know  what  to  make  of  you, 
1  Lassie  with  the  lint  white  locks,'  "  her  uncle 
laughed.  "  The  young  gin  wants  to  know  if  you 
are  Great  Baiame's  golden  child.  It's  your  fair 
hair,  I  suppose." 

Jean's  hair  was  light  golden  and  floated  all 
about  her  face  like  a  halo. 

"  Great  Baiame  is  their  god,  good  spirit,  and 
they  think  you  are  a  goddess.  That  gin  wants 
to  touch  your  hair.  Better  let  her,  she  won't 
hurt  you." 

Jean  smilingly  bent  her  head  and  let  the  black 
woman  run  her  fingers  over  her  shining  tresses. 
The  gin  smiled  and,  seized  by  a  sudden  impulse, 
Jean  said, 

"  She  may  have  a  curl  if  she  wants  it,  Uncle. 
I  have  plenty  and  mother  won't  care."      He 


64     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

handed  her  his  knife  and  she  snipped  off  a  silken 
strand,  which  the  gin  took  with  many  expres- 
sions of  delight. 

"  You  have  certainly  made  a  hit  among  the 
Blacks,"  said  her  uncle  teasingly.  "  She  will 
wear  that  as  a  charm  and  be  the  envy  of  all  the 
tribe.     Your  hair  is  pretty. 

The  world  to  me  knows  no  fairer  sight 
Than  your  long  hair  veiling  your  shoulders  white, 
As  I  tangle  my  hand  in  your  hair  my  pet.'  " 

he  quoted  as  he  stroked  the  shining  mane. 

"  Uncle,  I  don't  think  cattle  runs  are  as  nice 
as  sheep  runs.  There  aren't  any  wool  sheds, 
but  just  open  yards." 

"  These  are  the  stock  and  branding  yards. 
You  see  the  cattle  roam  the  hills,  some  of  the 
runs  being  as  large  as  five  thousand  square 
miles,  on  which  the  cattle  find  their  own  food 
and  water." 

"  If  they  wander  over  all  that  distance,  how 
do  the  owners  ever  tell  their  own  cattle?  "  asked 
Jean. 


"  Lost !  "  65 

"  Every  beast  is  branded,  that  is,  he  has  his 
owner's  mark  burnt  into  his  hide,"  said  her 
uncle.  "  So  it  is  easy  to  draft  out  of  the  mobs 
the  cattle  which  belong  to  other  ranchmen.  The 
young  oxen  are  sent  to  the  coast  to  be  fattened 
for  market,  while  the  old  cattle  are  sent  to  the 
rendering  works,  where  they  are  made  into  tal- 
low and  beef  extract.  The  stockman's  life  is 
harder  than  that  of  the  shepherd,  and  danger- 
ous because  of  the  bullocks'  stampedes,  when 
they  break  loose  and  often  run  down  horses  and 
men  in  their  frantic  rush  for  freedom." 

"  I  like  the  sheep  run  much  better,"  said  Jean. 
"  See  that  flying  squirrel,  Uncle !  I  think  they 
are  the  cunningest  little  things.  Who  do  you 
suppose  is  hiding  behind  that  tree?  I  heard 
some  one  laughing." 

"  Look  and  see,"  her  uncle  smiled.  Jean 
jumped  down  from  her  horse  and  peered  behind 
the  tree.  There  she  saw  a  little  bird  perched 
on  one  leg  which  sang  a  pretty  little  song,  al- 


66     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

ways  breaking  off  with  "H-ah-ha!  Hoo-hoo 
hoo !  " 

"  That's  a  laughing  jackass,  Jeanie,"  said  her 
uncle.     "  He's  a  funny  little  fellow,  isn't  he?" 

"  He  isn't  a  bit  pretty,"  said  Jean. 

"  No,  but  he's  very  useful,  for  he  eats  snakes 
and  lizards  and  all  kinds  of  things,  and  there  is 
a  law  forbidding  any  one  to  kill  him." 

"  You  have  so  many  queer  things  in  Aus- 
tralia," said  Jean.  "  Down  by  the  river  Sandy 
and  I  found  the  queerest  thing.  It  looked  part 
animal  and  part  bird.  It  had  a  big  flat  bill  like 
a  duck  and  fur  on  its  body  like  a  rat,  and  it  had 
webbed  feet  and  a  long  bushy  tail.  Sandy  said 
it  was  a  beastie  and  was  called  a  water  mole,  but 
we  found  its  nest  in  a  kind  of  tunnel  running 
from  the  water's  edge  under  ground,  and  in  the 
nest  were  eggs." 

"  That  was  a  platypus,  or  water  mole,"  said 
Mr.  McDonald.  "  He  is  an  animal  but  lays 
eggs  like  the  birds.    There  is  another  animal  in 


mm- 


that  was  a  platypus,  or  water  mole,    said  mr. 
Mcdonald. 


"  Lost !  "  67 

Australia  which  does  too,  the  spiny  ant-eater. 
He  looks  like  a  hedgehog  but  has  a  queer,  long 
bill  with  a  long  tongue  covered  with  sticky  stuff 
with  which  he  licks  up  the  ants  off  the  ground. 
He  hasn't  a  nest,  but  carries  his  eggs  around  in 
a  kind  of  a  pocket  until  they  are  hatched." 

"  It  certainly  is  a  queer  place,  with  trees  that 
shed  their  bark  every  year,  pears  that  have  hard 
wooden  rinds,  cherries  with  the  stones  outside, 
trees  with  flowers  and  seeds  growing  in  the 
leaves  and  animals  that  lay  eggs,"  said  Jean. 

"  And  little  girls  that  chatter  and  ride  like 
monkeys,"  cried  Sandy's  teasing  voice,  as  he 
rode  up  behind  them.    "  I  can  pass  you !  " 

"  No,  you  can't !  "  cried  Jean,  and  she  gal- 
loped off,  her  cousin  after  her,  though  he  did 
not  catch  up  with  her  till  she  rode  up  to  the 
veranda  and  jumped  off  her  pony,  laughing 
heartily. 

Some  weeks  later  all  was  hurry  and  bustle  at 
the  station.    Shearing  was  to  begin  the  next  day 


68     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

and  there  was  a  great  deal  to  be  done  to  make 
ready  for  the  great  event.  Shearers  were  com- 
ing in,  some  riding,  some  trudging  along  on 
foot,  carrying  their  swags.  There  were  huts  for 
them  to  sleep  in,  and  tents  were  being  spread  in 
the  open.  Mr.  McDonald  left  all  the  details  of 
this  work  to  his  manager,  a  young  Australian 
who  had  been  born  and  raised  on  a  sheep  run. 

At  first  Jean  was  much  interested  in  seeing 
the  shearing  and  stood  in  the  shed  watching,  as 
the  engine  whistled  to  begin.  The  pens  were 
full  of  sheep  who  did  not  at  all  know  what  they 
were  there  for,  but  who  did  know  that  they  did 
not  like  it.  They  baa-ed  and  bawled,  and  with 
the  noise  of  the  machinery  it  was  deafening  in 
the  sheds.  As  the  machine  starts  every  shearer 
grabs  a  sheep  from  the  pen,  choosing  the  one 
that  looks  the  easiest  to  shear,  he  throws  it  with 
his  knee  and  rapidly  guides  the  little  knife-like 
cutters  of  the  machine  over  the  fleece,  which 
falls  from  the  animal  in  one  huge  piece.     The 


«  Lost ! "  69 

sheep  is  then  released  to  run,  pink  and  shivering, 
to  the  yard  again.  The  "  picker  up  "  catches 
up  the  fleece  and  takes  it  to  the  wool  bin,  while 
the  shearer  turns  to  the  pen  to  catch  another 
victim.  He  has  to  be  quick  because  the  sharp 
eye  of  the  overseer  is  upon  him.  He  walks  up 
and  down,  watching  every  one.  The  "  pen- 
ners-up  "  must  not  let  a  single  pen  be  empty, 
"  the  pickers-up  "  must  keep  the  floor  clean,  the 
shearers  must  shear  evenly  as  well  as  closely. 
If  they  cut  a  ragged  fleece  the  wool  will  grow 
badly  the  next  year  and  some  of  it  will  be 
wasted. 

The  shearers  are  paid  by  the  number  of  sheep 
they  shear,  and  they  work  very  fast,  every  man 
trying  to  see  if  he  cannot  be  the  "  ringer,"  as 
they  call  the  man  who  has  sheared  the  great- 
est number  of  sheep  at  the  close  of  the  shear- 
ing. 

The  shearers  earn  five  dollars  for  every  hun- 
dred  sheep    sheared,    and    an   ordinarily   good 


70     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

workman  will  shear  a  hundred  sheep  in  a  day, 
while  extra  good  ones  have  sheared  three  hun- 
dred in  a  day.  As  the  shearers  have  no  expenses, 
their  food  and  lodging  being  given  them,  they 
can  make  a  good  deal  of  money  during  the 
season. 

The  picker-up  takes  the  fleece  to  the  wool 
roller,  who  trims  it  and  rolls  it  up  to  be  inspected 
by  the  classer.  He  decides  as  to  its  quality  and 
puts  it  in  the  proper  bin.  It  is  then  baled, 
marked  with  the  quality  and  the  owner's  brand, 
and  taken  by  wagon  to  the  nearest  shipping 
station. 

The  sheep  are  counted,  branded  and  dipped 
to  prevent  their  being  covered  with  wood  ticks, 
which  bite  so  fiercely,  and  then  are  returned  to 
their  paddocks.  There  is  no  more  attractive 
sight  in  the  world  than  an  immense  flock  of  the 
long-wooled  Australian  sheep,  and  none  more 
forlorn  than  the  shivering  droves  of  freshly- 
sheared  animals. 


"Lost!"  71 

Jean  watched  until  she  was  tired.  The  smell 
of  the  wool,  the  noise,  the  heat,  the  cries  of  the 
tormented  sheep,  all  turned  her  sick,  and  she  fled 
to  the  house.  There  things  were  little  better. 
Everybody  was  busy.  Aunt  Mildred  had  no 
time  to  notice  a  little  girl.  Sandy  was  away,  no 
one  knew  where,  and,  worst  of  all,  her  mother 
was  laid  low  with  one  of  her  terrible  headaches. 
Jean  knew  these  of  old,  and  that  it  was  no  use 
to  expect  to  even  speak  to  her  mother  before 
night.  She  felt  forlorn  and  lonely  and  decided 
to  take  a  ride. 

No  one  was  at  the  stable  to  saddle  Dandy,  but 
she  had  learned  to  ride  as  well  without  a  saddle 
as  with,  so  she  got  on  the  pony's  back  and  rode 
toward  the  river. 

Away  from  the  noise  of  the  shearing  shed, 
how  quiet  and  lovely  it  all  seemed.  The  wind 
swayed  gently  the  branches  of  the  great  she-oaks 
as  a  mopoke's  mournful  note  came  from  the 
gum  trees.    Flying  foxes  flapped  their  wings  and 


72     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

she  came  upon  the  playground  of  a  satin-bower  * 
bird,  the  first  she  had  ever  seen,  although  her 
uncle  had  told  her  about  them.  She  rode  farther 
into  the  wood  than  she  intended  and,  feeling 
tired,  she  got  off  Dandy  and,  throwing  the  reins 
over  a  bush,  sat  down  under  a  tree  to  rest. 

"  I'm  so  tired,"  she  said  to  herself,  "  I  think 
I  will  take  a  little  nap.  This  looks  just  the  place 
for  a  fairy  ring  and  perhaps  the  elves  will  come 
to  dance  while  I  am  asleep." 

She  lay  down  under  the  huge  tree  about  which 
ferns  grew  so  thickly  as  to  form  a  green  curtain. 
Dandy  browsed  in  the  grass  near  by,  every  now 
and  then  pricking  up  his  dainty  ears  and  work- 
ing his  velvety  nose  as  if  something  he  did  not 
like  was  near.  Then  his  reins  pulled  loose  from 
the  bush  and  he  wandered  away  to  nibble  at  a 
tempting   bit   of    turf    a    little    distance    away. 

1  This  bird  makes  a  play-ground  before  the  tree  in  which 
it  builds  its  nest.  It  has  a  floor  of  sticks,  and  over  this  is 
built  a  little  bower  into  which  are  woven  bright  feathers, 
white  shells,  etc. 


"  Lost ! "  73 

Another  tempted  him  and  he  was  soon  out  of 
sight,  hidden  by  the  great  ferns  which  grew  up 
above  his  pretty  head. 

As  he  disappeared  there  was  a  little  rustle  in 
the  bushes  and  two  eyes  peered  at  the  sleeping 
child.  Then  a  hand  reached  out  and  warily 
touched  a  fold  of  her  little  blue  gingham  frock. 
Jean  stirred  in  her  sleep  and  smiled.  She  was 
dreaming  that  her  father  had  come  back  and 
that  he  took  her  in  his  strong  arms  and  carried 
her  away,  away,  and  she  never  wanted  him  to 
put  her  down.  The  scent  of  the  wild  blooms 
was  in  her  nostrils,  and  she  did  not  wake  when 
two  arms  cautiously  raised  her  from  the  ground 
and  holding  her  lightly  yet  carefully,  so  that 
no  branch  might  brush  against  her,  carried  her 
far  into  the  deep  and  lonely  wood.  It  was  per- 
haps an  hour  that  the  man  carried  her  and  she 
did  not  wake.  Then  she  opened  her  eyes  to 
find  herself  in  the  arms  of  a  big  Black.  She 
screamed  in  fright,  but  he  spoke  gently  to  her. 


74     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

"  Missa  not  'fraid.  Me  not  bad  Black.  Take 
Missa  home." 

"  Where  is  my  pony.  I  would  rather  ride 
him,"  she  cried,  struggling,  and  the  Black  put 
her  down. 

"  Pony  all  gone,"  he  said.  "  Missa  very 
tired,  me  show  Missa  my  gin.  She  very  sick, 
want  to  see  white  baby,  with  gold  for  hair. 
Hear  all  about  her  from  other  gin.  Then  carry 
home.  Black  very  much  like  Missa."  He 
smiled  again  and  his  face  looked  kind.  "  Let 
me  carry  Missa  or  we  not  get  there  soon,"  he 
said  coaxingly,  and  not  knowing  what  else  to  do 
Jean  allowed  him  to  pick  her  up  and  carry  her 
again.  He  walked  fast,  but  she  did  not  see  the 
river  or  the  house  and  she  began  to  grow  fright- 
ened. It  grew  dark  and  the  air  was  full  of  fly- 
ing things,  so  large  as  to  seem  like  birds  and 
so  small  as  to  seem  like  baby  mice  with  wings. 
The  bird  songs  were  stilled ;  only  the  soft  chirp- 
ing of  the  tree  insects  were  heard.    Then  those 


"  Lost !  "  75 

ceased  and  all  was  still  and  dark,  and  the  silent 
forest  so  terrified  the  child  that  she  began  to  cry. 

"  No  good  for  Missa  to  cry,  Missa  must  go 
see  gin,"  said  the  Black,  and  as  he  spoke  they 
came  in  sight  of  a  little  group  of  native  huts, 
bark-thatched  and  dimly  seen  through  the  dark- 
ness. Into  the  smallest  of  these  the  Black  stum- 
bled and  set  his  burden  before  a  couch  on  which 
lay  a  black  woman  wasted  with  fever. 

"  Brought  you  white  child,"  he  said.  The 
hut  was  full  of  Blacks,  but  Jean  was  too  fright- 
ened and  tired  to  think  of  any  of  them,  and  she 
covered  her  face  with  her  hands  and  sobbed  as 
if  her  heart  would  break. 


CHAPTER    VII 

JEAN   FINDS   A   FRIEND 

Jean  stopped  crying,  for  she  found  that  it  did 
no  good.  She  curled  up  in  the  corner  of  the 
dark  hut  and  waited  to  see  what  would  happen. 
The  Blacks  talked  and  jabbered  around  her,  but 
she  could  not  at  all  understand  what  they  said, 
and  she  was  too  little  to  understand  that  she  was 
in  any  danger.  She  only  wished  with  all  her 
heart  that  she  might  see  her  mother.  The 
Blacks  talked  together,  and  Jean  at  last  was  so 
tired  that  she  curled  up  on  the  floor  and  went 
to  sleep.  When  she  awoke  and  opened  her  eyes 
she  was  surprised  to  find  that  the  sun  was  shi- 
ning. 

She  was  lying  on  the  ground  under  a  huge 

gum  tree.     A  fire  of  the  dry  twigs  of  the  gum 

tree  burned  brightly,  as  a  young  black  boy  whom 

76 


Jean  Finds  a  Friend  77 

she  had  seen  the  night  before  fanned  it  with  a 
huge  fern  leaf. 

"  Little  Missa  hungry,"  he  said,  smiling 
kindly  down  at  her.  "  Kadok  make  eat.  Be 
good  little  girl  and  lie  still." 

He  took  a  hatchet  which  hung  on  the  belt 
around  his  waist  and  quickly  cut  off  a  piece  of 
bark  from  the  gum  tree,  then  took  some  flour 
from  a  bag  and  piled  it  on  the  bark.  Water 
from  the  water-hole  he  dipped  up  with  a  leaf 
cup  and  mixed  with  the  flour,  baking  it  on  the 
bark  over  the  fire.  Kadok  then  dipped  fresh 
water  from  the  water-hole,  around  which  ferns 
grew  as  high  as  Jean's  head,  and  turned  over  the 
ashes  of  the  fire  to  roast  in  them  a  turkey's  egg 
which  he  had  found  in  the  bracken. 

"  Now  Missa  eat,"  he  said,  giving  Jean  a 
piece  t)f  damper  1  and  the  egg,  with  a  cup  of 
water.  "  Little  Missa  not  be  afraid.  Kadok 
take  her  to  see  Mother." 

1  Kind  of  native  bread  made  of  flour  and  water. 


78     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

The  boy's  face  was  kind  and  Jean  tried  to 
smile  at  him  in  return,  finding  courage  to  say, 

"  Are  you  Kadok?    How  did  I  get  here?  " 

"  I  am  Kadok,  yoia.1  Black  man  found  little 
Missa  asleep  by  the  corral.  Want  to  show  her 
to  his  woman  who  had  no  girl,  all  die.  He  take 
little  Missa  and  mean  to  bring  her  back.  Then 
white  police  ride  and  hunt.  Black  man  scared, 
hide  Missa,  hide  selves.  Some  black  men  say 
kill  little  Missa.  Kadok  say  '  No.'  His  father 
chief,  and  chief  say,  '  Take  back  white  Missa 
to  mother.'    So  Kadok  will  take." 

"  Thank  you,  Kadok,"  said  Jean  simply,  ac- 
cepting all  that  he  said.  "  How  soon  will  I  see 
my  mother?  " 

"  Don't  know.  Missa  come  long  way  on 
man's  back.  Must  go  back  on  two  feet.  Take 
days  and  nights.  Not  cry,"  he  said  as  her  face 
clouded.  "  Kadok  take  one  good  care  of  little 
Missa.     Eat  plenty  meal,  then  we  start  walk." 

'Yes. 


jean  Finds  a  Friend  79 

Jean  was  a  quiet  child.  Fergus  had  always 
been  the  talker  and  she  had  been  content  to 
listen  to  the  big  brother  whom  she  thought  the 
most  wonderful  boy  in  the  world.  So  she  did 
not  say  much  in  reply  to  Kadok,  but  obediently 
ate  her  queer  breakfast,  which  tasted  very  good 
to  the  hungry  little  girl.  When  she  had  finished 
she  said  timidly  to  Kadok, 

"  May  I  wash  my  hands  and  face  at  the 
water-hole?  " 

"  Come  with  me.  I  go  see,"  said  Kadok. 
She  followed  him  to  the  water,  always  a  precious 
thing  in  Australia,  where  the  dry  season  makes 
it  scarce.  "  Step  right  behind  Kadok,  maybe 
snakes,"  said  the  black  boy,  and  she  followed 
him  close. 

Trees  had  been  cut  down  and  many  lay  about 
in  the  scrub,  which  grew  thick  and  higher  than 
Jean's  head,  so  that  Kadok  had  to  hold  it  aside 
in  many  places  for  her  to  pass.  The  water-hole 
was  clogged  with  weeds  and  leaves,  but  Kadok 


8o    Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

dug  about  under  the  ferns  until  he  found  a  clean 
pool,  then  filled  his  flask  with  water,  saying, 

"  Little  Missa  wash  quick."  Jean  dipped  up 
the  cool  water  in  her  hands,  splashing  it  on  her 
face.  As  she  dried  herself  as  best  she  could  with 
her  handkerchief,  Kadok  cried, 

"  Jump  back,  Missa,  quick!  into  the  scrub!  " 
She  obeyed  without  stopping  to  ask  why  and 
stood  trembling,  as  Kadok  came  hurriedly  after 
her. 

"  Missa  one  good  little  girl,"  he  said. 
"  Mind  what  Kadok  say  always  so  quick,  then 
Missa  get  safe  home.  See  there !  "  pointing  as 
he  spoke  to  something  on  the  other  side  of  the 
water-hole  where  Jean  had  just  been  washing. 
"  What  Missa  see?" 

11  I  see  a  big  black  log,"  answered  Jean. 

"What  Missa  see  now,"  said  Kadok,  throw- 
ing a  stick  at  the  log.  To  the  child's  astonish- 
ment and  horror  the  log  rolled  on  its  side,  turned 
over  and  opened  a  huge  pair  of  jaws,  closing 
them  again  with  a  cruel  snap. 


Jean  Finds  a  Friend  81 

"  Yamin"  1  said  Kadok  briefly.  He  seldom 
wasted  words.  "  Eat  little  Missa  if  she  not 
jumped.  Now  we  start  take  you  home.  Little 
Missa  mind  Kadok  and  she  go  long  home  all 
right.     You  not  afraid?" 

"  I  will  mind,"  said  Jean,  "  and  I  am  not  very 
much  afraid." 

"  We  go,"  said  the  boy,  and  he  flung  over  his 
shoulder  a  bag  in  which  he  had  put  his  water 
bottle  and  provisions  and  started  through  the 
scrub.  "  Come  after  me  and  tell  Kadok  when 
you  too  tired  to  walk,"  he  said  to  the  child,  and 
she  followed  him  obediently. 

She  did  not  know  why,  but  she  was  not  at  all 
afraid  of  Kadok.  She  felt  he  was  telling  her  the 
truth  when  he  said  he  would  take  her  home  if  she 
was  a  good  girl,  and  she  put  her  whole  mind 
upon  following  the  difficult  trail.  The  way  at 
first  led  through  a  tangle  of  tropical  vegetation, 
then  the  two  struck  into  a  forest  of  huge  gum 

1  Crocodile. 


82      Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

trees.  Overhead  the  limbs  made  a  lattice-work 
of  interlacing  boughs  which  gave  no  shade,  as 
the  leaves  were  vertical  instead  of  horizontal. 

The  sun  grew  hot  and  beat  down  upon  Jean's 
bare  head,  for  she  had  lost  her  hat.  Her  fair 
hair  caught  on  the  long  festoons  of  gray  moss 
which  hung  from  the  trees,  the  flying  golden 
fleece  stuck  to  the  rough  bark,  which  was  red 
with  gum  and  very  sticky.  Her  tangled  matted 
curls,  which  had  been  her  mother's  joy,  hung 
about  her  face  and  into  her  eyes  so  that  she  could 
scarcely  see  where  she  was  going.  The  spinifex 
prickles  stuck  her  ankles  and  legs,  and  at  last 
she  stumbled  over  a  hidden  tree  root  and  fell  in 
a  heap  upon  the  ground.  At  her  cry  Kadok 
turned  quickly, 

"  Missa  hurt,"  he  said,  coming  back  and  help- 
ing her  to  her  feet.     "  Not  cry." 

"  I  won't,"  she  said,  choking  back  her  sobs. 
"  Please  let  me  rest  awhile." 

"  Must  go  fast  to  get  to  water-hole  for  din- 


Jean  Finds  a  Friend  83 

ner,"  said  Kadok.    "  Missa  rest  a  little  and  then 
try  go  again." 

She  lay  down  on  the  grass  and  shut  her  eyes. 
Some  parrots  chattered  and  screamed  in  the  trees 
above  her,  but  the  sun  was  hot  and  most  of  the 
forest  birds  were  still,  except  for  little  twitter- 
ings among  the  branches.  Kadok  sat  silent 
beside  her.  Much  was  passing  in  the  black  boy's 
mind.  He  knew  too  well  the  need  for  haste. 
The  trip  was  dangerous  for  him  as  well  as  for 
his  little  white  friend;  he  understood  the  danger 
and  she  did  not.  She  felt  only  the  danger  of  the 
forest,  reptiles,  hunger,  cold  and  thirst.  But 
Kadok  had  to  fear  both  Blacks  and  Whites. 
Should  the  two  fugitives  run  into  unfriendly 
Blacks  they  would  be  captured,  and  if  the  little 
girl  was  not  killed  by  them  she  would  be  taken 
far  inland,  where  as  yet  white  people  did  not 
rule,  and  all  hope  of  restoring  her  to  her  people 
would  be  at  an  end.  On  the  other  hand,  were 
they  to  fall  in  with  any  of  the  mounted  police 


84     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

or  squatters,  Kadok  knew  that  his  story  would 
never  be  believed,  and  that  he  would  be  pun- 
ished for  stealing  a  white  child.  All  this  he 
knew,  that  Jean  could  not  understand,  but  he 
felt  that  he  must  make  her  see  the  need  for  hur- 
rying if  possible. 

"  Kadok,"  she  spoke  first.  "  How  many  miles 
is  it  to  my  mother?  " 

"  It  is  many  hours,"  answered  Kadok.  "  We 
must  go  fast." 

"  I  will  go  now,"  she  said,  getting  up.  "  I 
can  walk." 

"  Why  you  hurry?  "  asked  Kadok,  surprised. 

"  I  want  my  mother,"  she  answered.  u  She 
will  be  afraid  for  me.  My  father  has  gone  away 
to  find  gold  and  she  will  be  frightened  for  me." 
She  spoke  like  a  little  old  woman  and  the  black 
boy's  eyes  shone.  He  saw  that  he  had  the  way 
to  manage  her  without  frightening  her  with  the 
dangers  he  dreaded. 

"We  must  go  fast  so  little  Missa's  mother 


Tean  Finds  a  Friend  85 

not  get  sick  without  her,"  he  said,  and  the  two 
started  on  again. 

By  noon,  slow  as  the  little  steps  were,  they  had 
covered  considerable  ground,  and  they  sat  down 
near  a  tiny  water-hole  to  eat  and  rest. 

"  Missa  wash  feet  and  rest  while  I  make  eat," 
said  Kadok,  and  Jean  bathed  her  bruised  feet, 
wrapping  them  in  wet  leaves,  which  Kadok  told 
her  would  take  out  the  pain.  "  Little  Missa  sit 
very  still  while  I  find  eat,"  he  said.  "  I  not  go 
away."  She  was  terribly  frightened  when  he 
disappeared  between  the  trees,  but  in  a  few 
minutes  she  heard  the  sound  of  chopping  near 
by,  and  in  a  few  moments  more,  Kadok  re- 
turned carrying  a  dead  bandicoot. 

"  Me  chop  him  out  of  hole  in  foot  of  tree," 
he  said,  grinning  broadly.  "  Him  make  fine 
eat." 

He  quickly  made  a  fire,  and  cutting  up  the 
meat  in  pieces,  put  some  of  them  on  sharpened 
twigs,  and  held  them  over  the  fire  to  roast. 


86     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

"  Eat  plenty  much,"  he  said  to  Jean  as  he 
handed  her  several  pieces.  "  We  not  know  when 
we  find  another." 

She  ate  and  found  the  meat  very  good.  Some 
of  it  Kadok  had  rubbed  with  a  little  salt  which 
he  took  from  his  provision  bag,  and  a  few  bits 
he  held  over  the  smoke  to  dry.  All  this  he 
wrapped  in  green  leaves  and  put  carefully  with 
his  provisions,  getting  Jean  water  in  a  leaf  cup 
and  making  ready  to  start  again. 

"  You  good  little  wirawi,"  1  he  said  approv- 
ingly. "  We  soon  bring  to  Mother  her  good 
luck." 

The  afternoon's  walk  was  not  quite  so  bad 
as  the  morning's  had  been.  Kadok  struck  into 
a  track  which  led  through  the  Bush  to  the  main 
road.  Walking  here  was  not  so  troublesome  and 
Jean  managed  fairly  well,  though  her  feet  hurt 
her  cruelly  and  toward  the  last  Kadok  had  to 
help  her  along. 

1  Woman. 


Jean  Finds  a  Friend  87 

"  Little  more  walk,  Missa,"  he  said  encour- 
agingly. "  We  find  good  camp  for  night.  To- 
morrow we  get  long  way  to  home." 

But  Jean  was  almost  past  thinking  of  the 
morrow,  almost  past  thinking  of  home.  Her 
poor  little  body  ached  in  every  muscle,  her  face 
and  hands  were  scratched  and  bleeding,  and  she 
was  faint  with  hunger  and  fatigue.  She  stum- 
bled on,  Kadok  holding  her  arm,  until  at  last 
she  could  go  no  longer  and  would  have  fallen, 
had  not  the  black  boy  picked  her  up  and  carried 
her.  Laden  as  he  was  with  his  heavy  swag,  it 
was  no  easy  task  to  carry  a  heavy  child  of  eight, 
but  he  was  a  strong,  muscular  fellow,  used  to 
Bush  life,  and  not  tired  as  was  his  white  charge. 
He  carried  her  along  the  track  some  twenty 
rods,  then  paused  and  looked  closely  into  the 
forest.  It  seemed  a  great  wall  to  shut  them  off, 
but  the  keen  eye  of  the  Black  caught  an  almost 
imperceptible  opening  amongst  the  leaves  and 
he  left  the  path  once  more  to  tread  the  mazes 


88     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

of  the  wood.  Only  a  little  distance  and  he  came 
to  a  ruined  hut  overgrown  with  moss  and  creep- 
ing plants.  It  had  once  been  a  shepherd's  hut 
and  was  a  poor  place,  but  at  any  rate  it  would 
serve  as  a  shelter  from  the  night  and  Kadok 
carried  Jean  within  and  laid  her  down  on  the 
floor. 

"  Little  Missa  tired  out,"  he  said,  pitying  the 
child's  white  face,  which  looked  unearthly  in 
the  light  of  the  sunset  which  streamed  through 
the  open  doorway.  Jean  was  too  tired  to  speak. 
She  looked  at  him  wearily  for  a  moment  and 
then  closed  her  eyes.  "  Missa  must  eat.  Not 
good  to  sleep  too  quick,"  he  said. 

He  made  a  fire  at  the  door  of  the  hut,  partly 
for  warmth,  for  with  the  sun's  going  down  came 
the  cool  night  dews,  and  partly  to  drive  away 
mosquitoes,  as  well  as  to  cook  their  supper.  He 
then  brought  water  from  the  trough,  and  made 
damper  and  forced  bits  of  it  between  the  child's 
teeth  and  gave  her  a  drink  of  water.     Little 


Jean  Finds  a  Friend  89 

pieces  of  roasted  meat  he  added  to  her  meal, 
and  at  last  she  sat  up  and  smiled  her  thanks  at 
him. 

"  Good  Kadok,"  she  said,  "  eat  some  yourself. 
You  are  tired  too." 

"  Not  tired  like  little  Missa,"  he  said,  showing 
his  even  white  teeth  in  a  smile.  "  Now  must 
rub  feet  with  wet  leaves  so  they  not  be  sore  to- 
morrow." 

Jean  bathed  her  feet  and  bound  them  up  in 
cool  green  leaves,  tying  them  on  with  long 
grasses  which  Kadok  brought  her.  Then  she 
wrapped  herself  in  the  blanket  the  black  boy 
took  from  the  swag  and,  lying  down,  was  soon 
sound  asleep.  Kadok  sat  for  some  time  at  the 
door  of  the  hut,  feeding  the  fire,  then  he  too 
rolled  up  in  a  blanket,  and  lying  across  the  door- 
way, so  that  no  one  could  come  in  without  his 
knowledge,  he  too  fell  asleep. 


CHAPTER   VIII 

IN   THE    BUSH 

The  sun  was  high  in  the  heavens  when  Jean 
awoke  and  at  first  she  did  not  know  where  she 
was.  Then  she  sat  and  looked  about  her,  call- 
ing "  Kadok!  "  but  there  was  no  answer.  She 
went  to  the  door  of  the  hut  and  looked  about. 
The  fire  was  still  burning,  but  there  was  no  sign 
of  the  black  boy.  Before  she  had  time  to  be 
frightened,  however,  Kadok's  black  face  peered 
from  between  the  trees,  across  the  little  clearing 
which  lay  in  front  of  the  hut.  He  smiled  when 
he  caught  sight  of  her. 

"  Little    Missa   sleep    good,    feel    good   this 

morning,"  he   said.      "  Bujeri, *    Kadok   make 

breakfast." 

1  Expression  of  satisfaction. 
90 


In  the  Bush  91 

"  What  have  you  for  breakfast,"  she  asked, 
hungry  as  she  had  never  been  at  home. 

11  Fine  fruit,  got  it  top  of  tree,"  he  said,  hand- 
ing her  a  large  purple,  plum-like  fruit  which  she 
ate  and  thought  delicious.  Kadok  then  roasted 
in  the  ashes  some  scrub  turkey  eggs  he  had 
found,  and  these  too  tasted  good,  and  there  was 
damper  and  cool  water. 

"  Missa  must  hurry  start  now,"  said  Kadok. 
"  We  long  way  to  go  to-day  to  get  to  Mother." 

"  First  I  must  try  to  fix  my  hair,"  she  said. 
"  It  catches  in  the  branches  so  that  it  hurts." 

"  Kadok  help,"  he  said  briefly.  He  caught 
the  golden  mass  in  his  hand  and  screwed  it  up 
in  bunches  on  either  side  of  her  head,  pinning 
it  tight  with  some  long  thorns.  Then  he  tied 
about  her  head  a  bright  handkerchief  which  he 
had  worn  knotted  around  the  open  neck  of  his 
shirt,  and  rolling  up  the  blankets  and  packing 
up  the  ration  bag,  he  shouldered  his  swag,  gave 
her  a  hand,  and  they  were  off  for  the  day. 


92     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

As  they  walked  Jean  noticed  that  Kadok 
looked  always  to  the  right  and  left  and  that 
whenever  they  came  near  a  hill  or  a  hummock, 
he  would  go  ahead  before  telling  her  to  follow 
him. 

11  Why  do  you  always  look  around,  Kadok," 
she  asked  curiously. 

"  'Fraid  Debil-debil  get  little  Missa  or  Buba 
or  maybe  Yo-wi  or  Ya-wi"  he  answered  briefly. 

"  Who  are  they?  "  she  asked. 

"  Debil-debil  bad  god,  enemy  of  Baiame"  1 
he  said.  "  Buba  big  kangaroo,  very  bad  father 
of  kangaroos,  Yo-wi  is  fever  god,  and  Ya-wi  is 
snake  god.  All  very  bad  for  little  Missa,"  and 
he  shook  his  black  head.  He  did  not  tell  her 
there  were  others  more  to  be  feared  than  these 
monsters  of  the  Blacks'  demonology,  but  he  was 
worried  by  tracks  he  saw  in  the  sand,  tracks  of 
both  Blacks  and  Whites.  "  Mounted  police, 
been  here,"   he  muttered  to  himself.     "  Look 

1  Baiame  is  the  chief  god  of  the  Blacks. 


In  the  Bush  93 

for  little  Missa.  See  horse's  tracks  plain.  Here 
black  man's  tracks.  Think  bad  Blacks,"  and 
he  knit  his  brows. 

Kadok  was  at  a  loss  to  know  what  to  do.  He 
did  not  want  to  take  Jean  into  the  Bush  again, 
fearing  that  hard  walking  such  as  they  had  had 
the  day  before  would  make  her  too  sick  to  go 
on,  yet  he  was  afraid  to  keep  on  the  beaten  track. 
They  kept  on  till  noon,  however,  and  he  drew 
her  aside  into  the  woods  to  rest  and  eat  her 
dinner. 

He  gave  her  damper,  of  which  she  began  to 
be  tired,  bits  of  smoked  meat,  and  some  of  the 
white  larvae  to  be  found  in  quantities  on  the 
tree  roots,  and  which  she  thought  delicious. 
She  was  hungry,  but  Kadok  gave  her  some  roots 
to  chew  as  they  walked,  saying,  "  We  eat  'gain 
before  long,  must  walk  some  now.  'Fraid  we 
have  big  storm,"  and  he  looked  anxiously  at  the 
sky,  over  which  heavy  clouds  were  passing. 

Obediently  she  followed  him  again,  and  he 


94     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

walked  quickly,  peering  through  the  bushes  as  if 
looking  for  something.  The  wind  was  so  fierce 
that  they  made  slow  progress.  It  blew  so 
that  Jean  was  terribly  frightened  and  at  last 
Kadok  stopped  in  his  quick  walk  and  took  her 
hand. 

"  Missa  'fraid  Storm  debil,"  he  said.  "  I  find 
place  to  hide  from  him.  Come !  "  and  he  pulled 
her  into  the  bushes  which  covered  a  high  hill. 
Skirting  round  the  hill,  he  pushed  through  a 
thicket  which  seemed  almost  like  a  wall,  drag- 
ging Jean  along  as  the  storm  broke  with  a  sud- 
den crash  of  thunder  which  frightened  the  child 
terribly. 

"Quick!"  Kadok  cried  to  her,  "  We  find 
cave  now !  "  and  he  pushed  aside  some  close 
growing  tree  branches  and  showed  her  the  en- 
trance of  a  little  cave  hollowed  out  of  the  rock. 
"  Here  we  be  safe  till  storm  go  over,"  he  said, 
and  Jean  gladly  crouched  in  the  shelter,  watch- 
ing with  frightened  eyes  the  play  of  the  light- 


In  the  Bush  95 

ning.  Kadok  gave  her  more  roots  to  chew  and 
talked  kindly  to  her  to  soothe  her  fears. 

"  This  not  much  storm,"  he  said.  "  See  many 
worse  than  this.  Soon  over  and  we  go  on. 
Think  Missa  see  Mother  to-morrow.  Not 
many  hours  far  now." 

"  Kadok,"  said  Jean,  "  why  are  you  so  good 
to  me?" 

"  What  you  mean?  "  asked  Kadok. 

"  Why  do  you  take  me  home?  "  she  asked. 

"  Black  boy  not  forget  friend,"  he  said. 
"  Not  forget  enemy.  Do  mean  to  Kadok,  Ka- 
dok do  mean  to  you,  if  he  has  to  wait  five,  ten 
years.  Do  Kadok  good,  he  do  good  to  you 
when  he  make  chance." 

"  But  I  never  did  you  any  good,"  said  Jean, 
puzzled. 

"  No,  little  Missa  not.  Missa  McDonald  do 
me  heap  good.1    There  was  bad  man  at  Station. 

1  This  story  of  the  poisoning  of  nearly  a  whole  tribe  of 
Blacks  at  a  Christmas  feast  is  vouched  for  on  good  authority. 


96     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

He  no  like  Blacks  near  his  cattle  camp.  Blacks 
not  bad,  not  hurt  white  man.  White  man  very 
bad.  He  make  feast  and  tell  Blacks  to  eat. 
Black  men  all  eat.  Next  day  all  black  men  dead, 
all  but  Kadok  and  his  father,  great  Chief.  They 
very  sick,  but  they  not  had  eat  much  of  white 
man's  pudding.  Chief  tell  Missa  McDonald 
they  very  sick  here/'  —  putting  his  hand  on  his 
stomach —  "  She  look  very  sorry  and  give  them 
hot  drink.  It  make  them  very  sick  and  all  white 
man's  pudding  come  up.  Think  very  strange 
that  Kadok  and  Chief  only  ones  not  die,  but  like 
Missa  McDonald  very  well  for  hot  drink.  Chief 
father  say  to  me,  '  Some  day  do  kind  to  Missa 
McDonald,'  and  I  say  '  Yes.'  When  little 
Missa  taken  by  bad  Blacks,  Chief  say  to  me, 
1  Now  time  to  pay  Missa  McDonald,  take  little 
Missa  home !  '  I  go  take,"  and  the  boy  nodded 
his  head. 

Jean  did  not  understand  all  of  his  story,  but 
she  could  take  in  enough  to  know  that  her  Aunt 


In  the  Bush  97 

Mildred  had  saved  the  life  of  Kadok  and  his 
father,  and  she  felt  that  the  boy  would  do  all 
he  could  for  her. 

The  storm  had  ceased  and  the  rain  lay  in 
sparkling  drops  upon  bush  and  leaf. 

"  Very  wet,"  said  Kadok  as  he  peered  out. 
"  Missa  sit  here  very  still  while  Kadok  go  and 
see.  Maybe  we  go  on,  maybe  not."  Jean  did 
not  want  to  stay  alone  in  the  cave.  "  Let  me  go 
with  you,"  she  said  pleadingly,  but  Kadok  shook 
his  head. 

"  Not  good  for  Missa.  Big  snakes  come  out 
of  holes.  Too  many.  Kadok  not  go  far  away. 
Missa  not  come  out  of  cave  till  Kadok  come 
back.  Missa  'fraid,  say  prayers  to  white  peo- 
ple's Baiame." 

Jean  thought  his  advice  good  and  said  her 
prayers,  sitting  quietly  for  a  time,  looking 
through  the  cave  door,  though  she  could  see  but 
little,  the  screen  of  vines  and  bushes  was  so 
thick.    She  grew  tired  of  sitting  still,  and  moved 


98     Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

about  the  little  cave,  finding  little  to  interest 
her,  however.  It  was  hollowed  out  like  a  tunnel 
deep  into  the  cliff,  but  was  so  dark,  except  right 
at  the  mouth,  that  she  was  afraid  to  explore  it. 
She  took  off  her  shoes,  washed  her  aching  feet, 
and  reaching  to  the  bushes  around  the  cave, 
pulled  leaves  to  bind  on  them  as  Kadok  had 
taught  her  to  do.  Then  she  took  off  the  hand- 
kerchief he  had  tied  about  her  head,  let  down 
her  long  hair  and  tried  to  smooth  out  the  tangles 
with  her  fingers.  It  was  no  easy  task,  for  the 
hair  was  long,  fine  and  curly,  and  it  was  terribly 
matted  down  and  snarled.  She  took  a  long 
thorn  and  tried  to  use  it  for  a  comb,  and  after 
working  a  long  time  had  the  locks  smoothed 
out  into  a  fluffy  mass  of  gold  on  either  side  her 
face.  She  had  been  so  interested  in  her  work 
that  she  had  not  noticed  how  late  it  was  getting 
until  suddenly  it  seemed  to  be  growing  dark. 
She  looked  out  of  the  cave  and  saw  the  gleams 
of  the  golden  sunset  through  the  leaves.     She 


THE  LEAVES  PARTED  AND  A  BLACK  FACE  PEERED 
THROUGH  THE  BUSHES." 


In  the  Bush  99 

felt  hungry.  "Where  can  Kadok  be?"  she 
thought  to  herself.  "  He  has  been  gone  a  long, 
long  time.  Oh,  supposing  something  has  hap- 
pened to  him!  What  shall  I  do?  "  But  there 
was  nothing  for  her  to  do  but  wait,  and  she  sat 
at  the  door  of  the  cave,  too  frightened  to  cry, 
fearing  a  thousand  dangers  the  worse  because 
they  were  imaginary.  Then  she  heard  a  crack- 
ling of  the  branches  near  the  cave  and  sprang 
to  her  feet  joyfully,  expecting  to  see  Kadok's 
black  face  through  the  bushes. 

"  Kadok!"  she  cried  eagerly.  The  leaves 
parted  and  a  black  face  peered  through  the 
bushes,  fierce  black  eyes  gazed  at  the  child,  as 
she  stood  speechless  with  astonishment,  gazing 
at  a  perfectly  strange  Black.  She  did  not  speak, 
she  was  too  frightened  to  scream,  and  the  Black 
too  was  silent.  With  her  floating,  golden  hair, 
her  wide  blue  eyes,  her  fair  cheek  turned  to  gold 
by  the  rays  of  the  setting  sun,  which  shone  full 
upon  her,  the  rest  of  her  body  concealed  by  the 


ioo    Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

branches  with  which  Kadok  had  filled  the  mouth 
of  the  cave,  she  looked  like  a  creature  of  air 
rather  than  earth,  and  so  the  Black  thought  her. 
With  a  wild  cry  of  "  Kurru!  Kurru!  "  l  he  let 
go  his  hold  of  the  branches,  and  Jean  could  hear 
him  crashing  through  the  bushes  in  mad  haste 
to  get  away. 

1  Kurru-kurru  is  the  Dew   Dropper  or  Mist  Gatherer, 
Goddess  of  the  Blacks  and  wife  of  Munuala,  the  water  god. 


CHAPTER    IX 

HOUSEKEEPING   IN   A    CAVE 

She  heard  Kadok's  voice  and  called  to  him 
excitedly,  "  Oh,  Kadok,  come  quick !  I  am  so 
frightened!  " 

"  What  matter,  little  Missa?"  asked  Kadok 
as  he  parted  the  bushes  and  looked  at  her  with 
anxious  face. 

"  Oh,  a  strange  Black  looked  at  me  and  ran 
away!  "  she  said,  bursting  into  tears. 

"  Little  Missa  not  cry,"  said  Kadok. 
"  Brought  little  Missa  meat  for  supper.  What 
did  black  man  say?  " 

"  A  strange  word  something  like  curry  curry," 
she  said.     "  He  looked  frightened  too." 

"  That  good,"  said  Kadok.  "  He  think  little 
Missa  not  real  child.    Golden  child.    Think  him 

IOI 


102    Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

not  come  again.  Kadok  glad,  for  we  must  stay 
here  one,  two  days." 

"  Oh,  Kadok,  why?  Can't  we  go  to  Mother 
to-morrow?"  her  voice  was  full  of  tears  and 
the  boy's  face  clouded. 

"  Kadok  very  sorry  for  little  Missa,"  he  said. 
"  But  no  can  help.  Kadok  got  bad  hurt  on  foot. 
No  can  walk  one,  two  days.  Little  Missa  help 
Kadok  get  well?" 

"  Oh,  Kadok,  how  did  you  hurt  yourself?" 
she  asked,  as  she  saw  that  his  foot  was  covered 
with  blood. 

"  Hurt  in  the  scrub,"  said  Kadok,  who  did 
not  want  to  tell  her  the  truth,  that  he  had  met 
a  Black  who  had  thrown  his  nulla-nulla  1  and 
struck  him  on  the  foot,  though  the  boy  had 
managed  to  get  away  from  him. 

"  Let  me  tie  it  up  for  you,"  said  Jean.  "  I've 
often  seen  mother  dress  Fergus'  wounds,  for  he 
was  always  doing  things  to  himself.  He  always 
had  at  least  one  finger  tied  up  in  a  rag." 

1  Big  stick,  like  a  shillalah. 


Housekeeping  in  a  Cave       103 

"  Little  Missa  good,"  said  Kadok  as  he  sat 
wearily  down  beside  her.  He  was  worn  out  and 
even  his  brave  spirit  sank  at  this  new  trouble. 
It  would  be  several  days  before  he  could  walk 
well,  he  knew,  and  if  the  Black  who  had 
wounded  him  had  discovered  Jean  he  would 
certainly  come  back.  Would  they  be  safe  even 
for  a  few  hours,  he  wondered?  His  chief  hope 
lay  in  the  fact  that  if  the  Black  had  thought  her 
a  vision,  he  would  fear  to  return. 

Jean  scooped  up  water  which  stood  in  a  pool 
at  the  door  of  the  cave,  washed  her  pocket-hand- 
kerchief and  tore  it  into  strips,  then  bathed 
Kadok's  foot  and  tied  it  up  as  she  had  seen  her 
mother  do. 

"  Thank  little  Missa,"  said  Kadok.  "  Feel 
better,  make  eat  now." 

"  No,  I  shall  make  supper  to-night,"  said 
Jean.  "  It  is  time  I  tried  to  do  something  for 
you." 

She  gathered  up  sticks  and  bits  of  bark  and 


104   Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

laid  the  fire,  which  Kadok  carefully  lighted, 
taking  one  from  a  box  of  matches  which  he  had 
in  his  swag,  and  which  he  kept  tied  up  in  the 
skin  of  an  animal  to  keep  them  from  getting 
damp.  He  had  brought  back  a  yopolo  1  from 
his  hunt  in  the  forest,  and  wild  bee's  honey,  and 
he  said  to  Jean, 

"  Better  not  make  damper  to-night.  Save 
meal  for  some  day  we  have  not  meat.,, 

"  I  am  tired  of  damper  anyway,"  said  Jean. 
"  How  shall  I  cook  the  meat?  " 

"  Put  leaves  over  hot  stones,  set  yopolo  on, 
all  in  his  skin,  cover  him  over  with  earth  and  he 
cook  very  tender,"  said  Kadok,  and  she  followed 
his  receipt.  There  was  only  a  little  water  left 
in  the  water-hole,  and  that  not  fresh. 

"  Where  do  you  get  water,  Kadok?  "  asked 
Jean. 

"  From  the  spring,"  he  answered.  "  Not  far, 
just  ten  steps  in  the  bushes,  straight  ahead  from 
cave,  but  not  safe  for  little  Missa  go." 

1  Small  animal. 


Housekeeping  in  a  Cave       105 

"Why  not?  We  are  both  so  thirsty,"  she 
pleaded. 

"  Little  Missa's  shoes  make  tracks.  Bad 
Black  come  long,  see  tracks,  know  white  child 
here,  steal  little  Missa  away." 

"  Oh,  if  that's  the  trouble  I  can  take  my 
shoes  off,"  she  said,  laughing,  as  she  pulled  off 
shoes  and  stockings.  "  I  will  be  right  back.  I 
can  find  it,  for  you  said  it  was  only  ten  steps 
away,"  and  she  picked  up  the  billy  and  hurried 
out  of  the  cave  in  spite  of  Kadok's  "  Little 
Missa  not  go.    Debil-debil  get  her!  " 

She  was  back  before  Kadok  thought  she  could 
have  found  the  spring,  saying  brightly, 

"  Now  we  have  fresh  water  for  our  supper, 
afterwards  I  can  tie  up  your  foot  again." 

"  Kadok  found  cup  for  little  Missa,"  he  said, 
pulling  from  his  belt  a  battered  tin  cup.  "  Think 
white  man  drop  it,  little  Missa  can  have  honey- 
water  to  drink."  He  cut  a  piece  of  the  honey- 
comb and  put  it  in  the  cup  of  water.     Jean 


lo6    Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

drank  the  sweet  drink  and  almost  smacked  her 
lips. 

"  It  is  ever  so  nice,  Kadok,"  she  said.  "  It 
tastes  like  the  sugar-water  the  American  chil- 
dren's black  mammy  used  to  give  us." 

"  Who  was  that?"  he  asked  curiously. 

"  There  were  three  children  of  America  came 
to  stay  at  my  uncle's  place,  oh,  a  long  time  ago 
before  we  came  to  Australia.  They  had  a  nurse, 
a  black  woman.  She  was  ever  so  black,  not 
brown  like  you,  Kadok,  and  so  good  and  nice. 
I  used  to  like  her  very  much.  That  was  the 
reason  I  was  not  afraid,  when  the  black  man 
told  me  to  come  and  see  the  gin  who  was  sick. 
I  thought  he  would  be  good  like  Dinah  and 
bring  me  right  back." 

"  Black  people  very  much  like  white  people," 
said  Kadok.  "  Some  black  face  white  heart, 
some  black  all  way  through.  Some  white  face 
very  black  heart,"  and  the  boy  shook  his  head. 

"  Think  yopolo  cooked.    Him  smell  fine,"  he 


Housekeeping  in  a  Cave      107 

said,  sniffing  the  scent  which  came  from  the 
fire. 

The  yopolo  was  indeed  done  and  delicious. 
It  was  very  tender  and  tasted  like  spring  chicken. 
It  was  a  queer  supper  for  the  little  Scotch  girl, 
seated  cross-legged  on  the  floor  of  the  cave,  as 
she  drank  honey-water  and  cut  off  bits  of  meat 
for  herself  and  Kadok. 

The  little  housekeeper  enjoyed  her  supper 
thoroughly.  Having  finished,  she  put  fresh  green 
wood  on  the  fire  that  the  smoke  might  keep  off 
the  mosquitos,  and  wrapped  the  rest  of  the  meat 
in  leaves  to  keep  for  breakfast.  She  bathed 
Kadok's  foot,  which  was  swollen  and  painful, 
and  tied  it  up,  and  then,  under  the  boy's  direc- 
tions, cut  down  some  leafy  branches  and  moss  to 
make  herself  a  bed,  and  wrapped  herself  in  her 
blanket  to  sleep. 

When  morning  came  it  seemed  as  if  the  moth- 
er's desire  that  the  little  girl  should  have  ex- 
periences to  make  her  less  childish  was  to  be 


108    Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

fulfilled,  for  Kadok's  foot  was  so  painful  that  he 
could  not  even  drag  himself  about  the  cave  and 
Jean  had  to  wait  on  him  as  well  as  to  care  for 
herself.  She  made  breakfast  and  gathered  fresh 
leaves  and  branches  and  brought  water  enough 
to  last  all  day.  Then  she  made  fresh  damper 
and  cut  strips  of  the  yopolo  meat,  drying  it  in 
the  sun  and  smoke  under  Kadok's  directions. 
There  were  provisions  enough  to  last  a  day  or 
two  and  she  tried  not  to  worry  about  things,  but 
she  wished  she  had  something  else  to  do. 

Kadok  saw  she  was  growing  restless  and  tried 
to  talk  to  her,  afraid  that  she  would  cry.  "  Lit- 
tle Missa  not  see  cave  before,  not  have  at  home. 
Tell  about  home." 

"  Oh,  it's  not  at  all  like  this,"  she  said.  "  It's 
very  cold,  and  the  mountains  are  high  and  beau- 
tiful and  there  are  no  snakes  nor  wild  things. 
It's  all  farms  and  sheep  and  not  wild  like  Aus- 
tralia.    And  in  the  winter  the  snow  is  lovely." 

"  What  is  snow?  "  asked  Kadok. 


Housekeeping  in  a  Cave      109 

"Don't  you  know  what  snow  is?"  she 
laughed.  "  I  hardly  know  how  to  tell  you.  It 
looks  like  soft,  white  feathers  and  it  floats  down 
from  the  sky  when  it's  very  cold  and  covers  up 
the  ground  like  a  white  blanket.  Then  it  is 
lovely,  but  when  the  sun  comes  out  and  melts 
it,  it's  not  nice.     Didn't  you  ever  see  snow?  " 

"  Never  did,"  said  Kadok. 

"  Oh,  Kadok,  what's  that?  "  exclaimed  Jean, 
as  a  mournful  sound  came  through  the  forest. 

"  That  messenger  of  Muuruup,  Debill-deb- 
ill,"  said  Kadok  with  a  frown.  "  Muuruup 
lives  under  the  ground.  He  make  evil.  He 
makes  lightning  and  spoils  trees  and  kills  peo- 
ple. No  like  hear  owl  bird.  Bring  bad  storm 
or  bad  luck." 

"  Oh,  I  hope  he  won't  bring  a  storm,"  said 
Jean.  "  We  had  storm  enough  yesterday  to 
last  for  awhile.  How  does  Debil-debil  make 
lightning?  " 

"  Don't  know,"  said  Kadok.    "  Old  chief  say 


no    Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

he  not  make.  Say  Great  Baiame  make.  He 
want  to  smoke  big  pipe  up  in  sky,  strike  match 
to  light  pipe,  throw  match  down  to  earth,  while 
smoke  —  match  make  lightning." 

"  If  we  are  going  to  have  another  storm  I  am 
going  to  bring  water  from  the  spring  while  I 
can  go  out  of  the  cave."  She  was  getting  very 
tired  of  sitting  still. 

"  Kadok  not  like  little  Missa  to  run  round  by 
herself,"  said  Kadok,  but  Jean  said  wilfully, 

"  I  must  go  by  myself  if  there  is  no  one  to  go 
with  me,  mustn't  I?  We've  got  to  have  water," 
and  she  picked  up  the  billy  and  started  for  the 
spring. 

It  was  cool  and  pleasant  in  the  woods.  She 
filled  her  billy  and  stopped  to  gather  a  handful 
of  leaves  which  grew  near-by  and  looked  shiny 
and  pretty,  then  went  back  to  Kadok. 

"  You  see  nothing  happens  to  me,"  she  said. 

"  You  go  once  too  often.  You  not  good  little 
Missa.    You  not  mind  Kadok,"  he  grumbled. 


Housekeeping  in  a  Cave      m 

"  I  will  be  good,  but  really  I  can't  sit  still  all 
day,"  she  said.     "  See  what  pretty  leaves." 

"  Very  good  leaves,"  said  Kadok.  "  When 
little  Missa  have  no  water,  chew  these,  not  be 
thirsty.     White  men  call  them  hibiscus." 

"  I'll  remember  that,"  said  Jean.  "  Kadok, 
tell  me  a  story  about  when  you  were  a  little  boy. 
What  did  you  used  to  do  at  home?  " 

"  Not  do  very  much  in  wuuries,"  1  he  said 
with  a  broad  grin.  "  Blacks  not  have  much 
home  like  white  people.  Like  woods  better  than 
wuuries.  Like  hunt.  Make  many  fine  hunt, 
sometimes  hunt  animals,  sometimes  hunt  other 
Blacks.  Very  good  eat,  before  white  man 
comes,"  he  hastened  to  add  as  he  saw  Jean's 
expression  of  terror.     "  Not  eat  people  now." 

"  I  should  hope  not,"  cried  the  child. 

"  Little  Missa  keep  quiet,"  said  Kadok,  rais- 
ing himself  on  his  elbow,  grasping  a  stick  he 
had  and  peering  through  the  bushes.     "  Some- 

1  Huts. 


112    Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

thing  coming.  Think  not  black  man.  Don't 
move!  "  They  sat  so  quiet  it  seemed  to  Jean 
that  she  could  hear  her  heart  beat,  but  heard 
nothing  more.  Just  as  she  was  about  to  speak, 
Kadok  raised  his  stick  quickly  and  brought  it 
down  with  great  force  and  Jean  saw  something 
black  whirl  and  twist  at  the  opening  of  the 
cave. 

"  Missa  help  quick.  This  hard  to  hold," 
cried  Kadok.  "  Take  stick,  hold  very  tight 
here,"  and  he  gave  her  the  handle  of  the  forked 
stick  which,  to  her  horror,  she  saw  held  down 
by  its  neck  a  large  snake.  She  shut  her  eyes 
tight,  but  held  the  stick  bearing  down  with  all 
her  might  while  Kadok  struck  the  snake  over 
and  over  with  his  stick. 

"  Good  Missa,  let  go  stick,  snake  very  dead 
now,"  and  she  looked  with  a  shudder  at  the 
dead  body  of  the  serpent. 

""  Him  tree-python,"  said  Kadok,  calmly. 
"  Him  make  very  good  supper  for  Missa." 


Housekeeping  in  a  Cave       113 

"  Oh,  I  couldn't  eat  snake,  really,  I  couldn't," 
she  said,  but  Kadok  laughed. 

"  Make  very  good  eat  for  black  boy,  save 
yopolo  for  Missa,"  he  said.  "  Think  dinner 
time  now,  Missa  eat  meat,  Kadok  eat  snake." 

It  made  Jean  feel  very  queer  to  see  him  cut 
off  a  piece  of  the  tail,  roast  it  and  eat  with  great 
enjoyment,  but  before  night  she  was  to  look 
upon  the  snake  as  her  greatest  friend. 

She  dropped  asleep  after  eating  and  did  not 
waken  until  almost  time  for  supper,  when  she 
found  that  Kadok  had  been  sleeping  too. 

"  Foot  very  much  better,  think  we  go  find 
Mother  to-morrow,"  he  said,  as  she  sat  up  and 
rubbed  her  eyes.  "  Little  Missa  not  cry,  be 
good  Missa.  We  be  all  right.  Time  to  eat 
again." 

"  I'm  not  very  hungry,"  she  said,  "  but  I  want 
some  fresh  water  to  drink." 

"  Little  Missa  not  go  to  the  spring.  Kadok 
not  like,"  he  said  so  earnestly  that  she  said, 


H4  Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

"  Well,  never  mind,  I  can  drink  the  old  water 
and  chew  some  hibiscus  leaves." 

"  Think  I  can  go  for  Missa,"  said  Kadok 
as  he  rose  and  tried  his  foot.  "  Not  very 
bad." 

"  Oh,  never  mind,"  she  said,  but  he  took  the 
billy  and  his  stick  and  limped  through  the  bushes. 
He  was  gone  only  a  moment  or  two  when  she 
felt  a  strange  feeling  as  of  some  one  looking  at 
her,  and  she  raised  her  head  to  see,  staring 
through  the  bushes,  the  same  savage  eyes  which 
had  frightened  her  the  day  before. 

"  Kadok!"  she  screamed,  but  the  Black 
reached  forth  a  long  arm  and  tried  to  catch  her. 
She  drew  back  into  the  cave  and  screamed  again. 
She  had  no  weapon,  but  she  grasped  the  dead 
snake  by  the  tail  and  with  all  the  strength  she 
could  muster  threw  it  straight  into  the  Black's 
face.  The  man  gave  a  loud  "  Wouf !  "  as  the 
reptile  struck  his  face,  and  darted  back  just  as 
Kadok  came  up  behind  and  struck  him  on  the 


Housekeeping  in  a  Cave       115 

head  with  his  waddy.  Attacked  before  and  be- 
hind, the  black  man  thought  his  enemies  were 
many  and  he  fled  through  the  bushes  as  fast  as 
he  could  go.  Fear  lent  him  wings  and  he  did 
not  stop  until  far  from  the  scene  of  his  terror. 
Kadok  limped  into  the  cave. 

"  Little  Missa  hurt?"  he  asked  anxiously. 

"  No,  but  I  was  dreadfully  frightened.  It 
was  the  same  Black  I  saw  yesterday." 

"  What  little  Missa  do?  "  asked  the  boy. 

"  I  hadn't  anything  else,  so  I  hit  him  with 
your  snake  and  he  ran  away,"  she  said  simply. 
The  boy  looked  at  her  in  astonishment  and  then 
laughed  loud  and  long. 

"  Baiame  teach  little  Missa  to  be  good  Bush 
girl,"  he  said.  "  One  thing  very  much  scare 
Black  is  snake  in  the  face.  Missa  do  just  right 
thing." 

"  I  didn't  know  just  what  to  do,  but  I  had  to 
do  something,"  she  said.  "  What  shall  we  do 
now,  Kadok?  " 


Ii6  Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

"  Not  know,"  he  said,  frowning.  "  Think 
best  eat,  rest  to-night.  Go  long  early  in 
morning  before  Black  come  back.  Missa 
make  eat,  then  sleep.  Not  be  afraid.  Kadok 
watch." 


CHAPTER   X 

DANDY   SAVES  THE    DAY 

It  was  early  in  the  morning  when  the  two  set 
out  and  the  stars  were  still  shining. 

"  I  never  saw  so  many  stars  in  all  my  life," 
said  Jean.  "  It  seems  to  me  there  are  more  in 
Australia  than  I  ever  saw  in  Scotland." 

"  Think  great  plenty,  maybe  eighty-eight,"  * 
said  Kadok. 

Their  way  lay  through  a  less  beautiful  part 
of  the  country  than  any  Jean  had  seen  before. 
It  was  a  wild  and  lonely  land,  close  to  the  edge 
of  the  scrub,  beyond  them  only  sand  and  spini- 
fex.  A  fire  had  swept  over  the  wood  and  left  the 
trees  gaunt  and  bare.     They  waved  and  tossed 

1  The  Blacks  can  count  only  as  high  as  their  ten  fingers. 
Anything  above  this  they  call  always  "  eighty-eight,"  though 
no  one  knows  why. 

117 


u8  Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

their  gray  branches  like  demons,  and  Jean  shud- 
dered, as  on  every  side  the  ghostly  trees  seemed 
to  hem  her  in. 

They  came  to  a  clearing  where  the  trees  had 
been  cut  down,  and  these,  bleached  and  white, 
lay  on  the  ground  in  a  thousand  gnarled  and 
twisted  shapes,  their  interlacing  branches  seem- 
ing like  writhing  serpents.  Many  of  the  gum 
trees  had  been  killed,  for  the  cuts  in  the  bark 
had  been  made  too  deep,  and  the  bark  hung 
down  in  long  strips. 

No  friendly  animals  or  piping  forest  song- 
sters chirruped  a  cheerful  welcome  to  this  scene 
of  desolation.  Only  the  solitary  "  widow  bird  " 
hopped  about  hunting  for  insects  and  piping  her 
mournful  little  note.  Then  the  sound  of  a  cur- 
lew, like  the  gasp  of  a  dying  child,  came  to  them 
through  the  dawn,  as  the  sun  rose,  red  and  piti- 
less, over  the  sands.  Beyond  these  were  the 
mountains,  rising  straight  up  against  the  sky. 
Huge  gray  boulders  made  a  wall  at  the  base 


Dandy  Saves  the  Day        119 

of  the  ridge  and  the  whole  place  seemed  so 
strange  and  eerie  that  Jean  cried  out, 

"  Oh,  Kadok,  we  don't  have  to  cross  these 
sands,  do  we?    I'm  afraid." 

"  No,  Missa,"  said  Kadok  wearily.  His  foot 
was  hurting  him  cruelly  and  he  felt  discouraged. 
"  We  go  another  way,  all  through  the  wood. 
Missa  not  feel  'fraid.  Where  Missa's  Baiame? 
Take  care  of  black  boy,  not  take  care  of  white 
child?" 

"  Yes,  indeed  He  will,"  said  Jean,  feeling 
ashamed  that  the  black  boy  should  preach  to  her. 
"  But  I  can't  help  being  afraid.  It  seems  as  if 
we  would  never  get  to  mother." 

"  Little  Missa  get  there  some  day,  but  Kadok 
not  know  how  soon.  Think  best  way  now  to 
hunt  for  road  and  Missa  go  long  quick  for  her- 
self.    Kadok  foot  not  let  him  go  very  fast." 

"  Well,  I  think  I  won't,"  said  Jean  indig- 
nantly. "  Do  you  suppose  I'd  do  that  when  you 
have  been  so  good  to  me?    We'll  go  as  slowly 


120  Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

as  you  have  to  and  I'll  take  care  of  your  foot. 
I'm  terribly  hungry,  Kadok,  can  we  eat  now?  " 

"  Not  eat  here,"  said  Kadok,  who  liked  the 
place  as  little  as  she  did.  "  Walk  little  more 
round  edge  of  sand,  there  find  water-hole  in  the 
woods  and  eat." 

So  they  trudged  on  in  silence  for  another 
hour,  gradually  leaving  behind  them  the  sandy 
scrub  and  coming  to  a  pleasant  wood  where  a 
carpet  of  maiden-hair  and  coral  fern  reached 
knee-deep  in  tenderest  green.  Velvet-brown  tree 
ferns  rose  in  the  air,  wearing  a  feathery  coronet 
of  fronds,  and  above  them  grew  the  sassafras 
and  the  myrtle.  A  thousand  sweet  scents  were 
wafted  through  the  air  and  a  bubbling  stream 
surprised  them  by  gushing  forth  from  a  clump  of 
bushes. 

V  Little  Missa  rest  and  eat  here,"  said  Kadok. 
"  Plenty  water,"  as  he  explored  the  banks. 

"  Oh,  Kadok,  how  lovely  it  looks,"  she  cried. 
"  I'd  like  to  bathe  in  that  water,  it's  so  clear  and 
nice." 


Dandy  Saves  the  Day        1 21 

"  Very  good  thing,"  said  the  boy.  "  Kadok 
make  eat,  Little  Missa  go  to  the  bushes  let  water 
run  all  over  self.  Keep  her  from  being  thirsty 
all  day  while  we  walk." 

So  Jean  splashed  in  the  cool  water  and  en- 
joyed her  bath  like  a  little  nymph  behind  the 
thick  screen  of  bushes.  She  smoothed  up  her 
hair  and  came  forth  refreshed  and  rested  to  find 
Kadok  had  made  fresh  damper  and  toasted  some 
bits  of  meat,  gathering  also  some  of  the  sassa- 
fras leaves,  making  a  kind  of  tea  which  was  very 
good.  She  ate  and  rested  while  Kadok  bathed 
his  foot  and  filled  his  water  bottle,  and  then  they 
started  off  again,  tramping  this  time  over  a  hilly 
country.  They  had  to  take  a  long  rest  in  the 
middle  of  the  day  while  the  sun  was  hot  and 
both  were  very  tired.  There  was  nothing  to  eat 
but  damper  and  some  roots  Kadok  had  found, 
and  the  delay  and  the  scanty  meal  did  not  make 
Jean  feel  any  more  cheerful.  The  day  seemed 
the  longest  she  had  ever  spent  and  when  twi- 


122  Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

light  fell  and  they  found  no  shelter,  no  friendly 
cave  nor  deserted  hut,  the  little  girl  felt  more 
forlorn  than  she  had  ever  felt  in  her  life.  She 
tried  hard  not  to  show  Kadok  for  she  saw  that 
the  boy  was  suffering  far  worse  than  he  would 
admit. 

"What  are  we  going  to  have  for  supper?" 
she  asked. 

"  Not  much  eat,"  said  he.  "  Damper  all 
gone,  no  more  flour.    No  meat." 

"  There's  plenty  of  water,  anyway,"  said 
Jean,  for  they  had  followed  the  course  of  the 
stream  all  day  and  now  camped  beside  its  sil- 
very ripples.  As  she  spoke,  a  stir  in  the  water 
caught  her  eye. 

"  Oh,  Kadok,"  she  exclaimed,  "  why  can't  we 
have  fish?  " 

"  No  can  catch,"  said  the  boy  wearily.  "  Too 
bad  foot  to  go  hunt." 

"  Watch  me  catch  a  fish,"  said  Jean  sturdily. 
"  I  used  to  catch  trout  at  home.     Let  me  see, 


Dandy  Saves  the  Day   123 

what  can  I  use  for  a  line?"  She  thought  a 
minute,  then  clapped  her  hands.  "  I  know,  you 
just  rest,  Kadok,  and  see  what  a  good  fisherman 
I  am!" 

She  took  a  pin  from  her  belt,  bent  it  and  tied 
to  it  a  strip  of  cotton  torn  from  her  skirt.  This 
line  she  tied  to  a  branch  from  which  she  stripped 
the  leaves ;  on  them  she  found  some  fuzzy  cater- 
pillars, one  of  which  she  used  for  bait.  Then 
she  threw  her  line  and  sat  down  where  the 
stream  turned  at  right  angles  and  made  a  deep, 
quiet  pool.  She  waited  a  long  time.  Three  or 
four  times  she  had  a  bite  and  failed  to  land  her 
fish,  but  just  as  she  was  growing  discouraged 
there  was  a  jerk,  then  a  long,  steady  pull  at  her 
line. 

"  Come  help  me  land  him,"  she  called  to 
Kadok,  and  the  boy  hastened  to  her  aid.  Be- 
tween them  they  pulled  in  their  fish,  a  fine,  speck- 
led fellow  which  Kadok  cleaned  and  roasted  on 
a  flat  stone  heated  red  hot.     The  fish  was  deli- 


124  Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

cious,  and  there  was  plenty  for  both  of  them, 
so  that  they  felt  far  more  cheerful  as  they  rolled 
up  their  blankets  to  sleep. 

It  was  Jean's  first  trial  of  sleeping  in  the  open, 
and  it  was  long  before  she  could  rest.  She  lay 
and  watched  the  stars,  of  only  a  few  of  which 
she  knew  the  names,  though  Orion  seemed  like 
an  old  friend  and  the  cloudy  path  of  the  Milky 
Way  a  broad  road  to  Heaven. 

"  Little  Missa  not  sleep,"  said  Kadok.  "  Her 
'fraid  Debill-debill?" 

"  No,  Kadok,  I'm  not  afraid,"  she  answered. 

"  Peruna  heeal  very  good  spirit,  he  big  man 
spirit,  lives  'bove  clouds.  He  not  let  Debil-debil 
loose  to-night.  Too  many  twinkle  lights. 
Debil-debil  likes  darkness.    Missa  try  sleep." 

Toward  morning  Jean  was  awakened  by  a 
crackling  in  the  bushes.  "  Kadok,"  she  whis- 
pered.    "  Wake  up." 

"  Kadok  not  asleep,  little  Missa,"  he  whis- 
pered in  return. 


Dandy  Saves  the  Day        125 

"  I  hear  something  in  the  bushes,"  she  said. 
"  Is  it  one  of  those  bad  Blacks  like  I  saw  at  the 
cave?  " 

"  Too  far  away  for  bad  Black,  think  ghost, 
maybe,"  said  the  black  boy,  who,  with  all  his 
courage,  had  the  Black's  fear  of  ghosts. 

"  I  don't  think  there  are  such  things  as 
ghosts,"  said  Jean  steadily. 

"  Plenty  ghosts,"  said  Kadok.  "  One  man 
of  my  tribe  go  to  near  tribe  and  he  saw  wuurie 
left  alone  with  no  life  in  it.  Over  door  was 
crooked  stick  pointing  to  where  family  had  gone. 
On  ground  were  pieces  of  bark  covered  with 
white  clay,  so  he  knew  some  one  dead.  He  fol- 
low tracks  and  found  dead  body  in  tree.  It  was 
bound  with  knees  to  chest,  tied  with  cord  made 
from  acacia  bark  and  was  wrapped  in  rug  of 
opossum  skins.  He  turn  back  rug  and  saw  face 
of  friend.  Then  he  wept  and  went  away.  He 
walked  from  place  of  death  and  heard  a  great 
chattering  of  magpies.     He  turned  to  see  what 


126  Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

made  magpies  make  so  much  noise  —  saw  ghost 
of  dead  friend.  It  had  followed  him  from  the 
tree.    So  I  know  there  are  ghosts,  little  Missa."' 

"  This  ghost  sounds  to  me  as  if  it  went  on 
four  feet,"  said  Jean.  "  And  as  I  don't  hear  it 
any  more  I'm  going  to  sleep." 

She  listened  for  awhile,  but  heard  no  more. 

In  the  early  morning  she  was  awakened  by 
feeling  something  cool  on  her  face.  She  sprang 
up  with  a  cry  of  terror  which  promptly  turned 
to  one  of  delight. 

"  Dandy,  my  own  Dandy!  "  she  cried,  throw- 
ing her  arms  around  the  pony's  neck. 

"  Oh,  Kadok,  here  is  my  pony.  He  has  wan- 
dered away  and  we  must  be  not  far  from  Djer- 
inallum !  " 

The  little  pony  seemed  as  pleased  as  she,  and 
Kadok's  face  lighted  up, 

"  Little  Missa  take  road  with  pony  and  ride 
safe  now.  Say  good-bye  to  Kadok  and  run  'long 
home." 


Dandy  Saves  the  Day        127 

Jean  stamped  her  foot  she  was  so  angry. 

"  You  make  me  angry,  Kadok,"  she  cried. 
"  Here  you've  taken  care  of  me  all  these  days 
and  now  you  want  me  to  run  off  and  leave  you ! 
I  don't  think  you're  nice  at  all.  You  shall  come 
with  me  to  the  run.  You  can  ride  when  your 
foot  is  tired  and  I'll  ride  part  of  the  time.  It 
can't  be  far  now.  You  go  catch  a  fish  and  we'll 
have  breakfast,  then  we'll  start." 

Kadok  looked  astonished  as  the  little  fury 
scolded,  but  he  obeyed,  and  soon  a  fine  fish  siz- 
zled on  the  fire  stone. 

They  started  off  for  the  main  road,  which 
Kadok  said  was  not  far  away  through  the 
bushes,  Jean  riding  her  pony  and  feeling  bright 
and  cheerful.  When  they  reached  the  road  after 
several  hours  riding,  she  saw  that  Kadok  was 
limping  painfully.  She  jumped  off  the  pony  and 
said, 

"  You  must  ride  now.  I  know  your  foot 
hurts  and  I'm  tired  of  riding  and  want  to  walk 


128  Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

awhile.  Get  on  and  I  will  walk  along  and  hold 
Dandy's  rein." 

"  Little  Missa  get  very  boss.  Time  Missa 
get  back  to  white  folks,"  he  grumbled,  as  he 
climbed  slowly  on  the  horse's  back.  "  Gin  never 
say  '  do  '  to  Kadok,"  but  Jean  only  laughed  at 
him  and  trudged  along. 

It  was  an  odd  picture  on  which  the  Australian 
sun  shone,  the  black  boy  on  a  pony  led  by  a  white 
child  in  tattered  gingham,  and  two  travellers 
scanned  the  couple  curiously  as  they  urged  their 
horses  along.  Catching  up  with  the  children 
they  would  have  passed,  but  Jean  suddenly  cried, 

"  Father!  Fergus!" 

"  Jeanie !  What  on  earth !  "  but  the  rest  of 
her  father's  sentence  was  lost  as  he  clasped  the 
child  in  his  arms  and  Jean  knew  that  her  troubles 
were  over. 

"  There  was  a  terrible  hue  and  cry,  lassie, 
when  it  was  discovered  that  Dandy  and  you  were 


THE    BLACK    BOY    ON    A    PONY    LED    BY    A  WHITE    CHILD. 


Dandy  Saves  the  Day   129 

lost,"  said  her  uncle  that  night  as  she  lay,  tired 
but  happy,  her  mother  beside  her,  in  a  corner 
of  the  big  couch  in  the  morning  room  at  Djer- 
inallum.  "  Scouts  were  sent  everywhere,  but 
you  seemed  to  have  dropped  off  the  earth.  Par- 
ties have  been  searching  ever  since,  but  no  one 
has  been  successful  in  finding  even  a  trail.  We 
traced  you  to  the  place  in  the  woods  where  you 
got  off  your  pony,  but  beyond  that  there  were  no 
tracks.  Kadok  says  that  the  Black  who  took 
you  did  not  mean  any  harm.  His  gin  was  nearly 
crazy  over  the  death  of  her  child,  a  little  girl 
younger  than  you,  and  he  wanted  to  take  you 
to  her  to  see.  They  had  heard  of  you  from  the 
gin  to  whom  you  gave  a  curl.  The  Blacks  think 
that  when  a  Black  dies  he  returns  to  the  earth 
as  a  white,  and  he  wanted  his  gin  to  see  you, 
thinking  that  you  might  be  his  own  child  come 
back." 

"  Poor  child,  you  have  had  a  dreadful  time," 
said  her  Aunt  Mildred. 


130  Our  Little  Australian  Cousin 

"  Oh,  no,  except  that  I  was  worried  about 
Mother,  because  I  knew  she'd  think  I  was 
killed,"  she  said.  Her  mother  held  her  close. 
"  I  would  have  been  if  it  hadn't  been  for 
Kadok." 

"  Good  Kadok,"  said  Mr.  Hume.  "  His  foot 
is  being  taken  care  of  now  and  he  shall  have  a 
good  home  for  the  rest  of  his  life  on  our 
run  —  " 

"  Oh  Father,  are  you  going  to  have  a  sheep 
run!     I'm  so  glad!  "  cried  Jean. 

"  Yes,  we  got  back  from  the  Gold  Country 
just  in  time  to  meet  you.  I  made  some  money, 
but  I  am  never  going  back  there.  Fergus  has 
no  end  of  adventures  to  tell  you,  but  it  is  no 
place  to  take  you  and  your  mother,  and  I  don't 
want  to  leave  you  again." 

"  Oh,  I'm  so  glad,  we'll  be  near  Uncle  and 
Aunt  Mildred,"  said  Jean. 

"  Not  me?  "  asked  Sandy  mischievously. 

"  Oh,  you,  of  course,"  said  Jean.     "  We  are 


Dandy  Saves  the  Day         131 

going  to  be  Australians  ourselves,  now,  and  of 
course  we  won't  forget  our  Little  Australian 
Cousin." 


THE    END. 


BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE 

■  ■ 

THE  LITTLE  COLONEL  BOOKS 

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By  ANNIE  FELLOWS  JOHNSTON 

Each  1  vol.,  large  12 mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  per  vol.   .      $1.50 

THE  LITTLE  COLONEL  STORIES 

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Being  three  "  Little  Colonel  "  stories  in  the  Cosy  Corner 
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volume. 

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THE  LITTLE  COLONEL'S  HOLIDAYS 

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THE  LITTLE  COLONEL'S  HERO 

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THE     LITTLE     COLONEL     AT     BOARDING 

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THE       LITTLE       COLONEL'S       CHRISTMAS 

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THE    LITTLE    COLONEL'S    KNIGHT    COMES 

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CHUM 

These  ten  volumes,  boxed  as  a  ten-volume  set,        .    $15.00 
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THE  LITTLE  COLONEL 

(Trade  Mark) 

TWO  LITTLE  KNIGHTS  OF  KENTUCKY 
THE  GIANT  SCISSORS 
BIG  BROTHER 

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New  plates,  handsomely  illustrated  with  eight  full-page 
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IN  THE  DESERT  OF  WAITING:  The  Legend  op 
Camelback  Mountain. 

THE  THREE  WEAVERS:  A  Fairy  Tale  for 
Fathers  and  Mothers  as  Well  as  for  Their 
Daughters. 

KEEPING  TRYST 

THE  LEGEND  OF  THE  BLEEDING  HEART 

THE  RESCUE  OF  PRINCESS  WINSOME:     A 

Fairy  Play  for  Old  and  Young. 

THE  JESTER'S  SWORD 

Each  one  volume,  tall  16mo,  cloth  decorative   .      $0.50 

Paper  boards .35 

There  has  been  a  constant  demand  for  publication  in 
separate  form  of  these  six  stories,  which  were  originally 
included  in  six  of  the  "  Little  Colonel  "  books. 

JOEL :    A  BOY  OF  GALILEE :  By  Annie  Fellows 
Johnston.     Illustrated  by  L.  J.  Bridgman. 
New  illustrated  edition,  uniform  with  the  Little  Colonel 
Books,  1  vol.,  large  12mo,  cloth  decorative       .      $1.50 
A  story  of  the  time  of  Christ,  which  is  one  of  the  author's 

best-known  books. 

A  — 2 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG  PEOPLE 


THE  LITTLE  COLONEL  GOOD  TIMES  BOOK 

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Bound  in  white  kid  (morocco)  and  gold        .        .        3.00 
Cover  design  and  decorations  by  Amy  Carol  Rand. 
The  publishers  have  had  many  inquiries  from  readers 
of  the  Little  Colonel  books  as  to  where  they  could  obtain 
a  "  Good  Times  Book  "  such  as  Betty  kept.    Mrs.  Johns- 
ton, who  has  for  years  kept  such  a  book  herself,  has  gone 
enthusiastically  into  the  matter  of  the  material  and  format 
for  a  similar  book  for  her  young  readers.     Every  girl  will 
want  to  possess  a  "  Good  Times  Book." 
ASA  HOLMES :    Or,  At  the  Cross-Roads.     A  sketch 
of    Country    Life    and    Country  Humor.     By    Annie 
Fellows  Johnston. 
With  a  frontispiece  by  Ernest  Fosbery. 

Large  16mo,  cloth,  gilt  top $1.00 

"  '  Asa  Holmes;    or,  At  the  Cross-Roads  '   is  the  most 
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has  been  published  in  a  long  while."  —  Boston  Times. 
THE  RIVAL  CAMPERS :  Or,  The  Adventures  of 
Henry  Burns.     By  Ruel  Perley  Smith. 
Square  12mo,  cloth  decorative,  illustrated       .      $1.50 
A  story  of  a  party  of  typical  American  lads,  courageous, 
alert,  and  athletic,  who  spend  a  summer  camping  on  an 
island  off  the  Maine  coast. 

THE    RIVAL    CAMPERS    AFLOAT:       Or,  The 
Prize  Yacht  Viking.      By  Ruel  Perley  Smith. 
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This  book  is  a  continuation  of  the  adventures  of  "  The 
Rival  Campers  "  on  their  prize  yacht  Viking. 

THE  RIVAL  CAMPERS  ASHORE 

By  Ruel  Perley  Smith. 

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"  As  interesting  ashore  as  when  afloat."  —  The  Interior. 

JACK  HARVEY'S  ADVENTURES:  Or,  The 
Rival  Campers  Among  the  Oyster  Pirates.  By 
Ruel  Perley  Smith.     Illustrated  .        .      $1.50 

"  Just  the  type  of  book  which  is  most  popular  with  lads 

who  are  in  their  early  teens."  —  The  Philadelphia  Item. 

A  — 3 


L.  C.  PAGE  &  COMPANY'S 


PRISONERS  OF  FORTUNE :     A  Tale  of  the  Mas- 
sachusetts Bay  Colony.     By  Ruel  Perley  Smith. 
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book,  the  humor  of  the  born  raconteur  about  the  hero, 
who  tells  his  story  with  the  gravity  of  a  preacher,  but  with 
a  solemn  humor  that  is  irresistible."  —  Courier- Journal. 

FAMOUS  CAVALRY  LEADERS.   By  Charles  H. 

L.  Johnston. 

Large  12mo.     With  24  illustrations     .       .        .      $1.50 

Biographical  sketches,  with  interesting  anecdotes  and 
reminiscences  of  the  heroes  of  history  who  were  leaders 
of  cavalry. 

"  More  of  such  books  should  be  written,  books  that 
acquaint  young  readers  with  historical  personages  in  a 
pleasant  informal  way."  —  N.  Y.  Sun. 

FAMOUS  INDIAN  CHIEFS.       By  Charles  H.  L. 

Johnston. 

Large  12mo,  illustrated $1.50 

In  this  book  Mr.  Johnston  gives  interesting  sketches  of 
the  Indian  braves  who  have  figured  with  prominence  in 
the  history  of  our  own  land,  including  Powhatan,  the 
Indian  Csesar;  Massasoit,  the  friend  of  the  Puritans; 
Pontiac,  the  red  Napoleon;  Tecumseh,  the  famous  war 
chief  of  the  Shawnees;  Sitting  Bull,  the  famous  war  chief 
of  the  Sioux;  Geronimo,  the  renowned  Apache  Chief,  etc., 
etc. 

BILLY'S  PRINCESS.     By  Helen  Eggleston  Has- 
kell. 
Cloth    decorative,    illustrated    by    Helen    McCormick 

Kennedy $1.25 

Billy  Lewis  was  a  small  boy  of  energy  and  ambition,  so 

when  he  was  left  alone  and  unprotected,  he  simply  started 

out  to  take  care  of  himself. 

TENANTS     OF     THE     TREES.       By     Clarence 
Hawkes. 

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hearty,  healthy,  outdoor  life  of  the  country.     The  illus- 
trations are  particularly  attractive."  —  Boston  Herald. 
A  — 4 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG  PEOPLE 


BEAUTIFUL  JOE'S  PARADISE :  Or,  The  Island 
of  Brotherly  Love.     A  sequel  to  "  Beautiful  Joe." 
By  Marshall  Saunders,  author  of  "  Beautiful  Joe." 
One  vol.,  library  12mo,  cloth,  illustrated    .        .      $1.50 
"  This  book  revives  the  spirit  of  '  Beautiful  Joe  '  capi- 
tally.   It  is  fairly  riotous  with  fun,  and  is  about  as  unusual 
as  anything  in  the  animal  book  line  that  has  seen  the  light." 
—  PhUadetphia  Item. 

'TILDA  JANE.     By  Marshall  Saunders. 

One  vol.,  12mo,  fully  illustrated,  cloth  decorative,  $1.50 
"  I  cannot  think  of  any  better  book  for  children  than 

this.     I  commend  it  unreservedly."  — •  Cyrus   Townsend 

Brady. 


'TILDA  JANE'S  ORPHANS.      A  sequel   to    'Tilda 
Jane.    By  Marshall  Saunders. 

One  vol.,  12mo,  fully  illustrated,  cloth  decorative,  $1.50 
'Tilda  Jane  is  the  same  original,  delightful  girl,  and  as 

fond  of  her  animal  pets  as  ever. 


THE  STORY  OF  THE  GRAVELEYS.     By  Mar- 
shall   Saunders,    author   of    "  Beautiful  Joe's  Para- 
dise," "  'Tilda  Jane,"  etc. 
Library  12mo,  cloth  decorative.     Illustrated  by  E.  B. 

Barry         .        .  $1.50 

Here  we  have  the  haps  and  mishaps,  the  trials  and 
triumphs,  of  a  delightful  New  England  family,  of  whose 
devotion  and  sturdiness  it  will  do  the  reader  good  to  hear. 

BORN  TO  THE  BLUE.      By    Florence    Kimball 

RUSSEL. 

12mo,  cloth  decorative,  illustrated       .        .        .      $1.25 

The  atmosphere  of  army  life  on  the  plains  breathes  on 

every  page  of  this  delightful  tale.    The  boy  is  the  son  of  a 

captain  of  U.  S.  cavalry  stationed  at  a  frontier  post  in  the 

days  when  our  vegulars  earned  the  gratitude  of  a  nation. 

A— 5 


L.  C.  PAGE  &  COMPANY'S 


IN  WEST  POINT  GRAY 

By  Florence  Kimball  Russel. 

12mo,  cloth  decorative,  illustrated  .  .  .  $1.50 
"  Singularly  enough  one  of  the  best  books  of  the  year 
for  boys  is  written  by  a  woman  and  deals  with  life  at  West 
Point.  The  presentment  of  life  in  the  famous  military 
academy  whence  so  many  heroes  have  graduated  is  realistic 
and  enjoyable."  —  New  York  Sun. 

FROM  CHEVRONS  TO  SHOULDER  STRAPS 

By  Florence  Kimball  Russel. 

12mo,  cloth,  illustrated,  decorative      .        .        .      $1.50 

West  Point  again  forms  the  background  of  a  new  volume 

in  this  popular  series,  and  relates  the  experience  of  Jack 

Stirling  during  his  junior  and  senior  years. 

THE  SANDMAN:  HIS  JARM  STORIES 

By  William  J.  Hopkins.     With  fifty  illustrations  by 

Ada  Clendenin  Williamson. 

Large  12mo,  decorative  cover       .        .        .        .      $1.50 

"  An  amusing,  original  book,  written  for  the  benefit  of 
very  small  children.  It  should  be  one  of  the  most  popular 
of  the  year's  books  for  reading  to  small  children."  — 
Buffalo  Express. 

THE  SANDMAN:  MORE  FARM  STORIES 

By  William  J.  Hopkins. 

Large  12mo,  decorative  cover,  fully  illustrated     $1.50 

Mr.  Hopkins's  first  essay  at  bedtime  stories  met  with 

such  approval  that  this  second  book  of  "  Sandman  "  tales 

was  issued  for  scores  of  eager  children.    Life  on  the  farm, 

and  out-of-doors,  is  portrayed  in  his  inimitable  manner. 

THE  SANDMAN:  HIS  SHIP  STORIES 

By  William  J.  Hopkins,  author  of  "  The  Sandman: 
His  Farm  Stories,"  etc. 

Large  12mo,  decorative  cover,  fully  illustrated     $1.50 
"  Children  call  for  these  stories  over  and  over  again."  — 
Chicago  Evening  Post. 

A— 6 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG  PEOPLE 


THE  SANDMAN,  HIS  SEA  STORIES 

By  William  J.  Hopkins. 

Large  12mo,  decorative  cover,  fully  illustrated     $1.50 

Each  year  adds  to  the  popularity  of  this  unique  series 

of  stories  to  be  read  to  the  little  ones  at  bed  time  and  at 

other  times. 

THE  DOCTORS  LITTLE  GIRL 

By  Marion  Ames  Taggart,  author  of    "  Pussy-Cat 

Town,"  etc. 

One  vol.,  library  12mo,  illustrated       .        .        .      $1.50 

A  thoroughly  enjoyable  tale  of  a  little  girlfand  her  com- 
rade father,  written  in  a  delightful  vein  of  sympathetic 
comprehension  of  the  child's  point  of  view. 

SWEET  NANCY 

The  Further  Adventures  op  the  Doctor's  Little 

Girl.    By  Marion  Ames  Taggart. 

One  vol.,  library,  12mo,  illustrated       .        .        .      $1.50 

In  the  new  book,  the  author  tells  how  Nancy  becomes 
in  fact  "  the  doctor's  assistant,"  and  continues  to  shed 
happiness  around  her. 

THE  CHRISTMAS-MAKERS'  CLUB 

By  Edith  A.  Sawyer. 

12mo,  cloth  decorative,  illustrated       .        .        .      $1.50 

A  delightful  story  for  girls,  full  of  the  real  spirit  of 

Christmas.     It  abounds  in  merrymaking  and  the  right 

kind  of  fun. 

CARLOTA 

A  Story  of  the  San  Gabriel  Mission.    By  Frances 
Margaret  Fox. 

Square  12mo,  cloth  decorative,  illustrated  and  decorated 

in  colors  by  Ethelind  Ridgway     .        .        .        .      $1.00 

"It  is  a  pleasure  to  recommend  this  little  story  as  an 

entertaining  contribution  to  juvenile  literature."  —  The 

New  York  Sun. 

THE  SEVEN  CHRISTMAS  CANDLES 
By  Frances  Margaret  Fox. 

Square   12mo,   cloth  decorative,  illustrated  and  deco- 
rated in  colors  by  Ethelind  Ridgway       .        .      $1.00 
Miss  Fox's  new  book  deals  with  the  fortunes  of  the  de- 
lightful Mulvaney  children. 
A  — 7 


L.  C.  PAGE  &  COMPANY'S 


PUSSY-CAT  TOWN 

By  Marion  Ames  Taggart. 

Small  quarto,   cloth  decorative,  illustrated  and  deco- 
rated in  colors $1.00 

"  Anything  more  interesting  than  the  doings  of  the  cats 
in  this  story,  their  humor,  their  wisdom,  their  patriotism, 
would  be  hard  to  imagine."  —  Chicago  Post. 

THE  ROSES  OF  SAINT  ELIZABETH 

By  Jane  Scott  Woodruff. 

Small  quarto,  cloth  decorative,  illustrated  and  decorated 
in  colors  by  Adelaide  Everhart     .        .        .  $1.00 

This  is  a  charming  little  story  of  a  child  whose  father  was 

caretaker  of  the  great  castle  of  the  Wartburg,  where  Saint 

Elizabeth  once  had  her  home. 

GABRIEL  AND  THE  HOUR  BOOK 

By  Evaleen  Stein. 

Small  quarto,   cloth  decorative,   illustrated  and  deco- 
rated in  colors  by  Adelaide  Everhart     .        .        .    $1 .00 
Gabriel  was  a  loving,  patient,  little  French  lad,  who 
assisted  the  monks  in  the  long  ago  days,  when  all  the  books 
were  written  and  illuminated  by  hand,  in  the  monasteries. 

THE  ENCHANTED  AUTOMOBILE 

Translated  from  the  French  by  Mary  J.  Safford 
Small  quarto,   cloth  decorative,   illustrated  and  deco- 
rated in  colors  by  Edna  M.  Sawyer       .        .        .      $1.00 
"  An  up-to-date  French  fairy-tale  which  fairly  radiates 

the  spirit  of  the  hour,  —  unceasing  diligence.'  —  Chicago 

Record-Herald . 

O-HEART-SAN 

The  Story  of  a  Japanese  Girl.    By  Helen  Eggles- 
ton  Haskell. 

Small  quarto,  cloth  decorative,  illustrated  and  deco- 
rated in  colors  by  Frank  P.  Fairbanks  .  $1.00 
"  The  story  comes  straight  from  the  heart  of  Japan. 
The  shadow  of  Fujiyama  lies  across  it  and  from  every 
page  breathes  the  fragrance  of  tea  leaves,  cherry  blossoms 
and  chrysanthemums."  —  The  Chicago  Inter-Ocean. 
A-8 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG  PEOPLE 


THE   YOUNG   SECTION-HAND:   Or,  The  Adven- 
tures of  Allan  West.     By  Burton  E.  Stevenson. 
Square  12mo,  cloth  decorative,  illustrated       .      $1.50 
Mr.  Stevenson's  hero  is  a  manly  lad  of  sixteen,  who  is 
given  a  chance  as  a  section-hand  on  a  big  Western  rail- 
road, and  whose  experiences  are  as  real  as  they  are  thrilling. 

THE  YOUNG  TRAIN  DISPATCHER.      By  Bur- 
ton E.  Stevenson. 

Square  12mo,  cloth  decorative,  illustrated  .      $1.50 

"  A  better  book  for  boys  has  never  left  an  American 

press."  —  Springfield  Union. 

THE  YOUNG  TRAIN  MASTER.     By  Burton  E. 

Stevenson. 

Square  12mo,  cloth    decorative,  illustrated       .     $1.50 
"  Nothing  better  in  the  way  of  a  book  of  adventure  for 
boys  in  which  the  actualities  of  life  are  set  forth  in  a  practi- 
cal way  could  be  devised  or  written."  —  Boston  Herald. 

CAPTAIN  JACK  LORIMER.     By  Winn  Standish. 
Square  12mo,  cloth  decorative,  illustrated  .      $1.50 

Jack  is  a  fine  example  of  the  all-around  American  high- 
school  boy. 

JACK  LORIMER'S  CHAMPIONS:  Or,  Sports  on 
Land  and  Lake.    By  Winn  Standish. 
Square  12mo,  cloth  decorative,  illustrated        .      $1.50 
"  It  is  exactly  the  sort  of  book  to  give  a  boy  interested 

in  athletics,  for  it  shows  him  what  it  means  to  always 

'  play  fair.'  "  —  Chicago  Tribune. 

JACK  LORIMER'S  HOLIDAYS'      Or,  Millvale 
High  in  Camp.    By  Winn  Standish. 

Illustrated $1.50 

Full  of  just  the  kind  of  fun,  sports  and  adventure  to 

excite  the  healthy  minded  youngster  to  emulation. 

JACK  LORIMER'S  SUBSTITUTE :   Or,  The  Act- 
ing Captain  of  the  Team.     By  Winn  Standish. 

Illustrated $1.50 

On  the  sporting  side,  this  book  takes  up  football,  wres- 
tling, tobogganing,  but  it  is  more  of  a  school  story  perhaps 
than  any  of  its  predecessors. 
—  9 


L.  C.  PAGE  &  COMPANY'S 


CAPTAIN  JINKS:   The  Autobiography  of  a  Shet- 
land Pony.      By  Frances  Hodges  White. 
Cloth  decorative,  illustrated  .        .        .  $1.50 

The  story  of  Captain  Jinks  and  his  faithful  dog  friend 
Billy,  their  quaint  conversations  and  their  exciting 
adventures,  will  be  eagerly  read  by  thousands  of  boys  and 
girls.  The  story  is  beautifully  written  and  will  take  its 
place  alongside  of  "  Black  Beauty  "  and  "  Beautiful  Joe." 

THE  RED  FEATHERS.  By  Theodore  Roberts. 
Cloth  decorative,  illustrated  .        .        .  $1.50 

"  The  Red  Feathers  "  tells  of  the  remarkable  adventures 

of  an  Indian  boy  who  lived  in  the  Stone  Age,  many  years 

ago,  when  the  world  was  young. 

FLYING    PLOVER.      By  Theodore  Roberts. 

Cloth  decorative.     Illustrated  by  Charles  Livingston 

Bull $1.00 

Squat-By-The-Fire  is  a  very  old  and  wise  Indian  who 

lives  alone  with  her  grandson,  "  Flying  Plover,"  to  whom 

she  tells  the  stories  each  evening. 

THE  WRECK   OF  THE   OCEAN   QUEEN.    By 

James  Otis,  author  of  "  Larry  Hudson's  Ambition,"  etc. 
Cloth  decorative,  illustrated  .        .        .        .      $1.50 

"  A  stirring  story  of  wreck  and  mutiny,  which  boys  will 
find  especially  absorbing.  The  many  young  admirers  of 
James  Otis  will  not  let  this  book  escape  them,  for  it  fully 
equals  its  many  predecessors  in  excitement  and  sustained 
interest."  —  Chicago  Evening  Post. 

LITTLE  WHITE    INDIANS.      By  Fannie  E.  Os- 

TRANDER. 

Cloth  decorative,  illustrated  .        •        •        .      $1.25 

"  A  bright,  interesting  story  which  will  appeal  strongly 

to   the     '  make-believe Y    instinct   in   children,    and   will 

give  them  a  healthy,  active  interest  in  'the  simple  life.'" 

MARCHING    WITH    MORGAN.       How    Donald 

Lovell    Became    a   Soldier   op    the   Revolution. 

By  John  L.  Veasy. 

Cloth  decorative,  illustrated  .        .        .        .      $1.50 

This  is  a  splendid  boy's  story  of  the  expedition  of 
Montgomery  and  Arnold  against  Quebec 
A— 10 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG  PEOPLE 


COSY  CORNER  SERIES 

It  is  the  intention  of  the  publishers  that  this  series  shall 
contain  only  the  very  highest  and  purest  literature,  — 
stories  that  shall  not  only  appeal  to  the  children  them- 
selves, but  be  appreciated  by  all  those  who  feel  with 
them  in  their  joys  and  sorrows. 

The  numerous  illustrations  in  each  book  are  by  well- 
known  artists,  and  each  volume  has  a  separate  attract- 
ive cover  design. 

Each  1  vol.,  16mo,  cloth $0.50 

By  ANNIE  FELLOWS  JOHNSTON 

THE  LITTLE  COLONEL     (Trade  Mark.) 

The  scene  of  this  story  is  laid  in  Kentucky.  Its  hero- 
ine is  a  small  girl,  who  is  known  as  the  Little  Colonel, 
on  account  of  her  fancied  resemblance  to  an  old-school 
Southern  gentleman,  whose  fine  estate  and  old  family 
are  famous  in  the  region. 

THE  GIANT  SCISSORS 

This  is  the  story  of  Joyce  and  of  her  adventures  in 
France.  Joyce  is  a  great  friend  of  the  Little  Colonel, 
and  in  later  volumes  shares  with  her  the  delightful  ex- 
periences of  the  "  House  Party  "  and  the  "  Holidays." 

TWO  LITTLE  KNIGHTS  OF  KENTUCKY 

Who  Were  the  Little  Colonel's  Neighbors. 

In  this  volume  the  Little  Colonel  returns  to  us  like  an 
old  friend,  but  with  added  grace  and  charm.  She  is  not, 
however,  the  central  figure  of  the  story,  that  place  being 
taken  by  the  "  two  little  knights." 

MILDRED'S  INHERITANCE 

A  delightful  little  story  of  a  lonely  English  girl  who 
comes  to  America  and  is  befriended  by  a  sympathetic 
American  family  who  are  attracted  by  her  beautiful 
speaking  voice.  By  means  of  this  one  gift  she  is  en- 
abled to  help  a  school-girl  who  has  temporarily  lost  the 
use  of  her  eyes,  and  thus  finally  her  life  becomes  a  busy, 
happy  one. 

A  — 11 


L.  C.  PAGE  S°  COMPANY'S 


By  ANNIE  FELLOWS  JOHNSTON   (Continued) 

CICELY  AND  OTHER  STORIES  FOR  GIRLS 

The  readers  of  Mrs.  Johnston's  charming  juveniles 
will  be  glad  to  learn  of  the  issue  of  this  volume  for  young 
people. 

AUNT  'LIZA'S  HERO  AND  OTHER  STORIES 

A  collection  of  six  bright  little  stories,  which  will  appeal 
to  all  boys  and  most  girls. 

BIG  BROTHER 

A  story  of  two  boys.  The  devotion  and  care  of  Stephen, 
himself  a  small  boy,  for  his  baby  brother,  is  the  theme  of 
the  simple  tale. 

OLE  MAMMY'S  TORMENT 

"  Ole  Mammy's  Torment  "  has  been  fitly  called  "  a 
classic  of  Southern  life."  It  relates  the  haps  and  mis- 
haps of  a  small  negro  lad,  and  tells  how  he  was  led  by 
love  and  kindness  to  a  knowledge  of  the  right. 

THE  STORY  OF  DAGO 

In  this  story  Mrs.  Johnston  relates  the  story  of  Dago, 
a  pet  monkey,  owned  jointly  by  two  brothers.  Dago 
tells  his  own  story,  and  the  account  of  his  haps  and  mis- 
haps is  both  interesting  and  amusing. 

THE  QUILT  THAT  JACK  BUILT 

A  pleasant  little  story  of  a  boy's  labor  of  love,  and  how 
it  changed  the  course  of  his  life  many  years  after  it  was 
accomplished. 

FLIP'S  ISLANDS  OF  PROVIDENCE 

A  story  of  a  boy's  life  battle,  his  early  defeat,  and  his 
final  triumph,  well  worth  the  reading. 
A  — 12 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG  PEOPLE 


By  EDITH  ROBINSON 

A  LITTLE  PURITAN'S  FIRST  CHRISTMAS 

A  story  of  Colonial  times  in  Boston,  telling  how  Christ- 
mas was  invented  by  Betty  Sewall,  a  typical  child  of  the 
Puritans,  aided  by  her  brother  Sam. 

A  LITTLE  DAUGHTER  OF  LIBERTY 

The  author  introduces  this  story  as  follows: 
"  One  ride  is  memorable  in  the  early  history  of  the 
American  Revolution,  the  well-known  ride  of  Paul 
Kevere.  Equally  deserving  of  commendation  is  another 
ride,  —  the  ride  of  Anthony  Severn,  —  which  was  no  less 
historic  in  its  action  or  memorable  in  its  consequences." 

A  LOYAL  LITTLE  MAID 

A  delightful  and  interesting  story  of  Revolutionary 
days,  in  which  the  child  heroine,  Betsey  Schuyler,  renders 
important  services  to  George  Washington. 

A  LITTLE  PURITAN  REBEL 

This  is  an  historical  tale  of  a  real  girl,  during  the  time 
when  the  gallant  Sir  Harry  Vane  was  governor  of  Massa- 
chusetts. 

A  LITTLE  PURITAN  PIONEER 

The  scene  of  this  story  is  laid  in  the  Puritan  settlement 
at  Charlestown. 

A  LITTLE  PURITAN  BOUND  GIRL 

A  story  of  Boston  in  Puritan  days,  which  is  of  great 
interest  to  youthful  readers. 

A  LITTLE  PURITAN  CAVALIER 

The  story  of  a  "  Little  Puritan  Cavalier  "  who  tried 
with  all  his  boyish  enthusiasm  to  emulate  the  spirit  and 
ideals  of  the  dead  Crusaders. 

A  PURITAN  KNIGHT  ERRANT 

The  story  tells  of  a  young  lad  in  Colonial  times  who 
endeavored  to  carry  out  the  high  ideals  of  the  knights 
of  olden  days. 
A— 13 


Z.  C.  PAGE  &*  COMPANY'S 


By  OUIDA  (Louise  de  la  Ramee) 

A  DOG  OF  FLANDERS 

A  Christmas  Story 

Too  well  and  favorably  known  to  require  description. 

THE  NURNBERG  STOVE 

This  beautiful  story  has  never  before  been  published 
at  a  popular  price. 

By  FRANCES  MARGARET  FOX 

THE  LITTLE  GIANT'S  NEIGHBOURS 

A  charming  nature  story  of  a  "  little  giant  "  whose 
neighbors  were  the  creatures  of  the  field  and  garden. 

FARMER  BROWN  AND  THE  BIRDS 

A  little  story  which  teaches  children  that  the  birds  are 
man's  best  friends. 

BETTY  OF  OLD  MACKINAW 

A  charming  story  of  child  life. 

BROTHER  BILLY 

The  story  of  Betty's  brother,  and  some  further  adven- 
tures of  Betty  herself. 

MOTHER  NATURE'S  LITTLE  ONES 

Curious  little  sketches  describing  the  early  lifetime,  or 
"  childhood,"  of  the  little  creatures  out-of-doors. 

HOW    CHRISTMAS    CAME    TO    THE    MUL- 
VANEYS 

A  bright,  lifelike  little  story  of  a  family  of  poor  children 
with  an  unlimited  capacity  for  fun  and  mischief. 

THE  COUNTRY  CHRISTMAS 

Miss  Fox  has  vividly  described  the  happy  surprises  that 
made  the  occasion  so  memorable  to  the  Mulvaneys,  and 
the  funny  things  the  children  did  in  their  new  environ- 
ment. 
A— 14 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG  PEOPLE 


By  MISS  MULOCK 

THE  LITTLE  LAME  PRINCE 

A  delightful  story  of  a  little  boy  who  has  many  ad- 
ventures by  means  of  the  magic  gifts  of  his  fairy  god- 
mother. 

ADVENTURES  OF  A  BROWNIE 

The  story  of  a  household  elf  who  torments  the  cook 
and  gardener,  but  is  a  constant  joy  and  delight  to  the 
children  who  love  and  trust  him. 

HIS  LITTLE  MOTHER 

Miss  Mulock's  short  stories  for  children  are  a  constant 
source  of  delight  to  them,  and  "  His  Little  Mother,"  in 
this  new  and  attractive  dress,  will  be  welcomed  by  hosts 
of  youthful  readers. 

LITTLE  SUNSHINE'S  HOLIDAY 

An  attractive  story  of  a  summer  outing.  "  Little  Sun- 
shine "  is  another  of  those  beautiful  child-characters  for 
which  Miss  Mulock  is  so  justly  famous. 

By  MARSHALL  SAUNDERS 

FOR  HIS  COUNTRY 

A  sweet  and  graceful  story  of  a  little  boy  who  loved 
his  country;  written  with  that  charm  which  has  endeared 
Miss  Saunders  to  hosts  of  readers. 

NITA,  THE  STORY  OF  AN  IRISH  SETTER 

In  this  touching  little  book,  Miss  Saunders  shows  how 
dear  to  her  heart  are  all  of  God's  dumb  creatures. 

ALPATOK,  THE  STORY  OF  AN  ESKIMO  DOG 

Alpatok,  an  Eskimo  dog  from  the  far  north,  was  stolen 
from  his  master  and  left  to  starve  in  a  strange  city,  but 
was  befriended  and  cared  for,  until  he  was  able  to  return 
to  his  owner. 
A  — 15 


L.  C.  PAGE  &  COMPANY'S 


By  WILL  ALLEN  DROMGOOLE 

THE  FARRIER'S  DOG  AND  HIS  FELLOW 

This  story,  written  by  the  gifted  young  Southern 
woman,  will  appeal  to  all  that  is  best  in  the  natures  of 
the  many  admirers  of  her  graceful  and  piquant  style. 

THE  FORTUNES  OF  THE  FELLOW 

Those  who  read  and  enjoyed  the  pathos  and  charm 
of  "  The  Farrier's  Dog  and  His  Fellow  "  will  welcome 
the  further  account  of  the  adventures  of  Baydaw  and 
the  Fellow  at  the  home  of  the  kindly  smith. 

THE  BEST  OF  FRIENDS 

This  continues  the  experiences  of  the  Farrier's  dog 
and  his  Fellow,  written  in  Mr.  Dromgoole's  well-known 
charming  style. 

DOWN  IN  DIXIE 

A  fascinating  story  for  boys  and  girls,  of  a  family  of 
Alabama  children  who  move  to  Florida  and  grow  up  in 
the  South. 


By  MARIAN  W.  WILDMAN 
LOYALTY  ISLAND 

An  account  of  the  adventures  of  four  children  and 
their  pet  dog  on  an  island,  and  how  they  cleared  their 
brother  from  the  suspicion  of  dishonesty. 

THEODORE  AND  THEODORA 

This  is  a  story  of  the  exploits  and  mishaps  of  two  mis- 
chievous   twins,    and    continues    the    adventures    of   the 
interesting  group  of  children  in  "  Loyalty  Island." 
A— 16 


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